February TNT: In Review

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: This movie was insanity captured on film. It was so intense, from start to finish, that I found myself wishing for a few down moments so I could absorb and understand exactly what was going on. At the end of the movie, I had to go read the Wikipedia on the film synopsis so I could piece certain parts together and figure out their significance. Yes, I'm slow sometimes. Let me start by saying that these actors knocked their roles out of the park, out of the parking lot, out of the zip code the park was located in. lol The tension crackled whenever Taylor and Burton were in a scene together, and it was like with a snap of a finger that energy could change immediately. They could go from mercilessly mocking each other to ganging up on one of their guests, and right back to slandering each other within the time span of a minute. To be able to have that sense of timing with the other person, to match each other's energy immediately and play off of that with every calculated expression, word, or movement is amazing. I can see now why people said Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were magic on-screen. They really were. And their guests were just as formidable in their roles, pawns for the vile and malicious scene-stealing George and Martha. George had this way of looking into someone and identifying their flaws, their mistakes, their misgivings, and did so quite flawlessly with Nick, wringing the truth out of him and his character in no time. Martha, as evil as she was, seemed to appear as a sort of victim by the end of the movie, albeit a willing victim. You would think one pulls the strings, until the other one says something and the entire body language, tone and expression changes immediately, and you question who really is in charge between the two of them. I can't say it was a power struggle exactly, but at the same time you did have to wonder who really wore the pants. I wasn't sure at any given moment whether or not I hated George and Martha, whether or not I felt sorry for them individually or together, or if I was too confused to feel one way or the other. Other than deciding that they were both without consideration and probably beyond redemption, I still can't say I feel one way or the other about them. I saw the makings of a future George and Martha in Nick and Honey, and I think George did too. At least that's the feeling I got from some of George's interactions with Nick. You have to be lacking in something internally when you bring two innocents into a "game" that ends up potentially decimating their marriage, their confidence, and their ideas about ever going to someone's house for drinks again. LOL There was this simultaneous intensity yet ultimate disregard from George and Martha where Nick and Honey were concerned. At the end of it all, the four of them made a quite loveless room. It's amazing what faults in self will be exposed when the faults of others are on constant and clear display. For a second, you think it's about their faults as people, their problems as individuals. But then, without any warning or provocation, all of a sudden you're drawn into this web of theirs as a pawn, a vehicle for one of them to use against the other, then you find yourself in the hot seat. The whole movie was a mind-fuck for me and I would probably watch this again. The script was awesome and fitting for the characters, but you have to pay close attention to everything or in one of those moments where you think nothing of importance is being said, you realize something vital has just been admitted and you didn't catch it. It's one of those movies. I think if this had been done with other actors, I would have hated it. But the four they chose were perfect. 
Rating:

Victor/Victoria: I really cannot say enough good things about this movie. Julie Andrews was wonderful as both Victor and Victoria, and despite the fact that the movie was funny as hell, a lot of realistic points were explored in the movie, such as the importance of public perception. I like that the movie was able to explore that, especially as it relates to the LGBT community, and manage to do so without killing the light tone of the movie. One thing I will admit that I don't like is that in the end, Victoria gives up her career for love. That's just the fem-lite in me, and I hate that women in movies, books and on shows are usually expected to end up in this predicament, because for whatever reason, some feel that it is impossible for a woman to do both. Sure, I think it's a great way to show a man you love him, but what happens after he realizes you love him? You go home and make cookies? Meh. Miss me with all that. Now I love cookies, and I'll definitely make them for my man. But can't I make them after I get off work? Hell, can't I handle it like a boss and make them before work? I'm sliding into a tangent here. Back to the movie, this movie boasts a really awesome ensemble cast. James Garner's deadpan delivery of lines makes him a great King Marchand, Lesley Ann Warren steals every scene she's part of as his ditzy booty call Norma, and Alex Karras was a big teddy bear of a bodyguard who clearly respected the hell out of his boss. There didn't seem to be a fight for who would be the star of this movie; everyone stayed within the parameters of their character and I enjoyed that. The comedic situations were a riot and the first time I watched this movie, I was in tears before the first hour was up. I've been recommending this movie to my family for years now. Victor/Victoria was the first film I'd seen for many of the actors, and I haven't been able to enjoy other works of theirs quite as much as I did in this film, although for Bob Preston, Julie Andrews and James Garner I'm at the point where I'll pretty much watch anything they're in. Except Sound of Music. I won't watch that. Speaking of them though, I thought the pairing of Bob Preston's Toddy with Victoria was genius. They played off of each other and complimented the other beautifully.
Rating:

Perhaps I'm biased here. Oh well. 









My Sister Eileen: I mentioned in the preview for this TNT that I was excited to see Rosalind Russell in movies apart from The Women, and I wasn't disappointed with this flick. She had such a strong presence and didn't play weak-willed or simple-minded women, which I enjoyed. This character was so different from Sylvia Fowler in The Women but still just as quick with a fiery response. I believe this character was just as fiesty as Sylvia but without all the pomp and circumstance. As for the actual character of Eileen, however, I could have done without. She was too whiny, too naive, too flowery for me. I think the actress played the part very well, but honestly I only watched this movie for Rosalind Russell. I barely remember any scene that she was not part of. However, one thing I can say apart from Russell's performance was that I loved the eccentric characters that helped round out the cast of this movie. The money-hungry manager was one of my favorites. I think they brought some spice to what could have otherwise been a slightly boring movie. While I enjoyed watching Russell, I also enjoyed watching the scenes at that shantytown of an apartment building. I liked hearing what ridiculous thing the manager was going to say, or what that flunkie who lived with his wife a floor above the girls was going to do next. It was a cute movie, although I can't say I'd watch it again. 
Rating:

Splendor in the Grass: (I didn't watch most of Of Human Bondage) I didn't watch this movie the entire way through because I was busy that night, but I watched enough to learn that I only half paid attention the first time. I think I was so instantly enamored by Warren Beatty that I didn't pay as much attention to the movie as I should have. LOL Don't judge me. Anyway, I still enjoyed this movie despite the cloud of sadness lingering overhead for much of it. It did make me realize just how much the opinions and judgment of family play a part in people's lives. Ginny's life was partially ruined by the stifling and fakery she had to endure by the family, Bud was stifled with all of the overwhelming pressure that was turned on him as a result of Ginny's failures, and Deanie was simply naive. Sexual repression can be manifested in so many ways, but when it's used differently in two people with two different backgrounds, its easy to put the pieces together as to how the wheels were set in motion for the demise of the young relationship. To have to see how the stock market crash completely decimated Bud's family was really devastating, because it made me wonder just how many other families it had happened to for real. At the end of the movie when Deanie and Bud meet again after Joanie is released from the sanitarium, it's not happiness in either of their eyes that you see. It's resignation. It's not exactly peace, because neither of them asked for the conclusions to life that they eventually got, but it's not exactly longing either because both of them had to grow up due to said conclusions to life that they got. They both knew there was no going back and that the sun had set for them. It was a painful look into what can happen with your first love. Thankfully it's not always quite that dramatic for everyone, but I know from experience that for some, it is. It has all the power to be overwhelming, traumatic, and as dramatic as depicted in this movie. On a random note, I didn't know Sandy Dennis was in this movie; I didn't know who she was the first time I watched so I didn't pay her any mind, but when I watched it again I noticed her immediately thanks to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Both of these stars were well-chosen for this movie; the somber tone of the movie allowed a debuting Warren Beatty to show his talent from the gate, and Natalie Wood had an amazing ability to play a wistful, delicate heroine and that's sort of what Deanie was. I probably would not have listened to my mom as easily LOL, but then again I wasn't growing up in the early '20s, either. I have to be in the mood to watch this movie because it's a little heavy for my taste, but I'm so glad I watched it at all. 
Rating:

The Sin of Madelon Claudet: As risque as the plot for this movie sounds, it was much more tame than I thought it'd be. I suppose by '30s standards, however, just the notion of a woman being a prostitute was risque, so I digress. Anyway, I thought this film was so moving. I was sad for Madelon, first because she had such stars in her eyes for Larry that she left her family without so much as a 'goodbye,' then because she seemed to know, despite Larry's denials, that he wouldn't be back for her. Unfortunately, she was right, but not because Larry didn't want to be with her. She never learned why he didn't come back, she just knew he didn't. My sadness went away for awhile when I saw that she was so desolate that she didn't even want to look at the baby, because it wasn't the baby's fault he was born. I saw so much that Madelon ended up a victim of her own circumstances and didn't even realize it, but instead of behaving like a victim, she did the ultimate in mothering and gave up her entire life for the sake of her son. It was almost heartbreaking watching her beauty fade, as she cared less and less about anything except doing what she needed to do in order to get Lawrence through medical school. At the end, it was both a testament to Madelon's resilience, dedication and love for her son as well as a reminder of all she gave up to see Lawrence's home and practice. He was living what could be considered a life of wealth and/or opulence, while she was getting ready to turn herself over to the authorities in a public assistance home. She did everything she needed to do without complaining, without asking why this was her lot in life, without giving any thought to herself because her son was her entire reason for existing.  She didn't do any of it for recognition, praise or even a thank-you. It must have been awful to have to make the decision to cut yourself off from your son entirely because you knew he'd make it in the world much better without your past crime hanging over his head. I didn't realize that it could have been that hard for the child of a felon to make it in the world; today it's mainly the felons themselves who have to bear those burdens, the family gets stuck with the emotional/mental damage. I'm not a mother, but I would make the same decision for my kid in a second if I knew it would give them a better life. I wouldn't want them to have to bear the pain of thinking that I'm dead their entire lives, but if I knew that my past would only hang over their head like a curse through absolutely no fault of their own, I'd take my leave and give my child the life they deserve to have. I can definitely understand why Helen Hayes won the Oscar for this movie. She deserved it. It was a wonderful movie and it made me sad so I don't know if I'd watch it again, but that'd be the only reason why I wouldn't. It was a great movie otherwise.  Rating:

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*July's TNT: In Review*

The Music Man:
I wasn't too excited to watch another musical after the multiple musicals we've had to watch over various TNT's (the ironic thing in all this is that several of my favorite movies are musicals LOL) but Robert Preston made it worth my while. I'm not a huge fan of Shirley Jones, but I liked her in this role. She played uptight to a t and was a great counterpart for Preston. I enjoyed the songs; they were a bit too long and a little cheesy for my taste but I still enjoyed them. The townspeople were hilarious to me; some of the lines in the movie were priceless and I really wish I could remember some of them so I could use them. Undeniably, Preston was the star of this movie and it showed. The plot was rather interesting as well; of most cons to play on people, it takes guts to take an entire town's money for uniforms and equipment then bail out. Despite that though, I couldn't help but feel for Preston towards the end. One of my favorite lines came at the end of the movie, after the town figured out he was lying and was looking for him. A young boy that had taken to Preston's character throughout the film found him before the rest of the town caught up with him and asked him, "Do you have a band?" to which Preston's character says after a minute, "No." The boy then says, "Are you a big fat liar?" and immediately Preston's character was like, "Yes." I was watching this movie with two of my brothers and my sister and we repeated that bit of dialogue all night. LOL I loved the writing for this movie; there were so many funny quips and smart aleck remarks throughout. After the movie was over, it was noted that Cary Grant was offered the main role, but declined it, saying "There's no man better to play this part than Bob Preston," and he was exactly right. I'm a Grant fangirl all day everyday, but Robert Preston was a perfect fit for this role and I don't think it would have had the same level of spunk and charisma, as much as I love Cary Grant. Everyone shined in their designated role and I'm really glad that this was the movie we got to watch for the holiday. It wasn't the most patriotic movie in the world, but somehow it fit and I enjoyed it.
ATV Rating:

Jason and the Argonauts:
I get a Ten Commandments feel from this, could be the dress and style of film, perhaps? Interesting, I think this guy knows Jason or the Man with One Sandal is meant to kill him. These special effects are something else. I guess since I'm from the CGI generation that I don't have quite the same appreciation. Very masculine way to select an army; I can respect that. Survival of the fittest kind of thing. I'm still not very interested, but I'm not wholly bored yet. So this is an older Hercules, I presume? Little guy is bold, but he threw that disc. Jason said something a few minutes ago that echoes a lot of nonbelievers today and it stuck out to me. When speaking to the man who turned out to be a god and the god asked Jason why he had not yet gone to the gods for help, Jason's answer was along the lines of, "The gods do not answer those who believe in them. Why would they answer someone who does not?" Oh hell naw, did that statue just get off of his stand? LOL I guess Talos didn't like Hercules and dude (never could catch his name) being inside that tomb. And he went looking for them, he is not playing!! They got on that boat to leave quick fast and in a hurry too. He just dumped the boat over and left. LOL What is the statue full of that just came gushing out of his foot? And he's actually holding his throat as though he's really choking. Now he's cracking apart? Wth was in that foot? Ah man Talos crushed Hylas to death when he fell. Well at least Hercules is trying to do right by dude and find him. And so ends his and Hera's journeys with the Argonauts. I wish God would talk to me like Hera spoke to the Argonauts, lol. It would certainly clear up confusion. there go the special effects again. I would hate to be a blind man and (presumably) alone with Harpies bullying for no reason. How rude! They picked at Phineas, stole at his food, took his cane and unraveled one of his outer layers of clothing. Poor guy, his prayer echoed even more thing that believers say, myself included. He said, "I was a sinner. I've never tried to deny it. But I didn't sin everyday. Why then do you punish me everyday?" It broke my heart a little. Ohh, so this life is punishment for Phineas for abusing his gift. One hell of a punishment. I know it's supposed to be because he misused his power, but I still feel bad for him. These Harpies are like a mix between bats and crows with the way they look and pick at things. Smart strategy to catch them, but their screaming is awful. I wonder how long he'd been fighting for his food alone like that. Well now I understand why Phineas said the Clashing Rocks spoke for themselves. Water bubbling and what not, completely capsized that ship and its entire crew. You can clearly tell the boat isn't moving, but we're still to believe that the ship is making its way through. I guess Jason still does not fully believe. Who was that was in that pendant, King Triton? lol I was kidding but I think it is! LOL And they've made it through. And naturally, a woman was aboard the ship that was capsized. Well hell, Acastus doesn't like the concept of a peaceful agreement after sailing so long, but to duel Jason over it? So Jason bitchslaps him after getting his sword knocked away. I love it. Knowing he's been bested, Acastus jumps overboard to get away and apparently kills the guy who jumped in after him. I was actually kind of hoping that there wouldn't be a woman in the film; an adventure that doesn't involve romance. I guess I've been done to death on it. Omg I saw black folk! I haven't seen a Black person in one of these films even once! lol Oh damn, so Medea was the one in gold dancing, that was who Jason brought back?! Jason's not alone; I'm rather confused too. I don't know why I didn't remember Acastus as the King's son! Medea has betrayed her country and her goddess because of her love for a man she just met the day prior. Thank God I do not fall in love so quickly or I'd be screwed. LOL Acastus was after the Fleece himself, the sneaky little goat. And so marks the return of the trusty special effects with the Hydra. This mess with throwing the Hydra teeth sounds like witchcraft and spellcasting. Skeleton warriors popping out of the ground where Aeetes threw the teeth, that's witchcraft, I don't care what anyone says. Watching them fall when they get hit is hilarious. I giggle at the special effects but these must have been amazing for the time period they were created in. It must have been a real sight for everyone, not being regularly exposed to effects like that at the time. Hera seems a little jealous that Jason has found love with Medea, I wonder why. I'm not quite sure what to say about this movie. While it wasn't up my alley and I probably will not watch it again, I can see why it was such an interesting flick for its time. Greek mythology has always been a subject of high interest and I enjoyed the interactions between Hera and Zeus and how these interactions played a part in the direction of Jason's life.
ATV Rating:

The Palm Beach Story:
This poor guy, trying to explain a simple sentence repeatedly to this old couple. This crotchety old man really said, "What'd he say? I don't like him to talk to me," with the guy standing right there. LOL He's a negative one, he is. And quite nosy too. Please don't tell me this is the 'eccentric millionaire.' How do you just lick someone's open tube of toothpaste like that? SMH. Gerry finally has enough of his snooping and reveals herself from her hiding place, and dude's like, "I don't suppose you go with the flat, nah that's too much to hope for." I had to rewind for that line. lol I love that this guy is hard of hearing. This husband of hers is so hopelessly jealous, it's hilarious. He's a cranky dude. I fully understand the hatred of being broke with no prospects. It's a pretty bad predicament, so I can't say I don't understand where she's coming from with making things better for her husband. I, however, know how to cook and sew and she does not. LOL He must be quite the kisser to make her feet, not her toes, curl. Where can I find one like that? And where the hell is the logic in sticking a pin in a note you're leaving to your husband, but pinning the note to the blanket he's wrapped in? How do you NOT expect said pin to stab him?? It's crazy that you'd have to go to Palm Beach or Reno just to get a divorce back then. What an inconvenience, I couldn't do it. Here's our old guy again, giving the husband a what-for, he told him, "A pretty girl like that can get anybody. Why hang around with a man who can't pay the rent?" and the husband calls him a rattlebrain. Called the security guard an old cluck before that. I love the dialogue in this movie, I wish I could write it all down. Poor Gerry, she got stuck on the train with a bunch of rowdy older men who insisted on waking her up to sing 'Sweet Adeline' in the middle of the night. lol These fools really fired their guns through a window on a moving train all in the same of a bet. Poor bartender. And instead of these idiots stopping them from firing their guns, they grab theirs as well instead. I knew she was going to break the other pair of glasses, I saw it coming. LOL Now these fools are on the move with their dogs AND guns?? This won't end well. The man has yet another pair of glasses....and I guarantee they'll be broken because the dogs miraculously found his bunk. I wonder if these idiots are drunk or not. LOLOL they disconnected the car and left em!! What a riot! The thing here is that I'm not even interested in the plot, I'm interested in the dialogue because this script is hilarious. He's going all out for this lady and doesn't even know her, that's generosity for ya. I wish I could get my glasses to balance on my nose like that. lmao His sister is a hoot. She talks at 90mph. Captain McGlue. LOL This was getting more and more painful to watch; I'm glad they finally confessed. I still think the husband's an ass though. Everyone except the original bride and groom look happy here. Irony. Cute movie, but I probably wouldn't watch it again. The writing was a real hoot, though.
ATV Rating:

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie:
Brodie's voice has such a high lilt to it in combination with her Scottish accent that I find it a little hard to understand some of what she says. That's interesting--she seems rather shallow for a teacher, unless her statement, "Safety doesn't come first. Goodness, truth and beauty come first." have more depth in it than initially presumed. She has mentioned being in her prime a few times now and the movie's only 10 minutes in. I love how she starts telling a story in a wistful tone, with music in the background, stops--the music stops here as well--to scold a student in a regular tone, then resumes the story in a wistful tone and the music resumes as well. LOL Early act of rebellion from Miss Brodie to pin the artwork over the politician's photo that the headmistress put up in the classroom instead. I have to say, it seems as though Miss Brodie almost looks down on these girls for being girls and chastises one of them, ending it with "You aren't in your prime," as if she was better for being in hers. She obviously has a few favorites, "the Brodie set,"with them outside eating goodies with her and the others eating in the cafeteria. The other members of the faculty don't seem to like her very much either. LOL @ this bit by two of Brodie's girls talking about sex and how it was rude to take their clothes off in front of each other, citing it as a passion killer. Now in some cases, yes it definitely is. The difference in norms between then and now, though, are insane! This artist is a little smitten, ain't he? Watching her through the window, painting her picture...sounds like the makings of an old school stalker to me. These girls are up to absolutely no good snooping, I can smell it. And the convo turns back to sex and them mimicking Brodie during sex. SMH lol This art teacher is such a cretin...then she gets caught kissing said cretin by one of her girls. These little wenches are such bullies, harassing that poor girl just to make her tell what happened. Precocious, obnoxious and nosey. Damned if they're not smart though. And the headmistress is having none of it. Uh oh, I smell trouble. They just unwittingly snitched on their beloved teacher and now the headmistress is more suspicious than she was. Art teacher was right, Brodie's girls are definitely well-trained. Barely veiled contempt between Brodie and the headmistress, hmm? There goes that 'prime' again. Sandy is very observant, but she's a bit of a jerk. Jealousy will do that to you. This art guy is a jerkus supremus! Sandy's right though, everyone Lloyd paints looks like Brodie. She's a catty little minx, that one. Again, jealousy and resentment will do that to you. I sense she's growing tired of having to hear about Jenny's beauty. Oh hell, the headmistress found the letter that Sandy wrote and stuck in that library book. They really laid it out on the line in that letter! LOL! The headmistress is a piece of work, even though she knows the letter is forged and said so, she is still trying to use it as her basis to get Brodie out. Brodie shut her up and quite quickly though, didn't she? I wonder what her obsession with Jenny is about. Well damn Sandy has grown up! Naked, posing for Lloyd, having an affair with him and off of the Brodie train. Wonder why he doesn't want her to see the portrait. Bet it's either another of Brodie and isn't Sandy at all, or he somehow morphed Brodie's face onto Sandy's body. This cad here--he says "You think I chose to love Jean Brodie? If I could choose to love anyone, I'd choose my wife...or you." A victim he is not! I guess Brodie told the truth about what happened to Mary, but she romanticized it. Well looks like Miss Mackay finally got what she wanted and Brodie is forced to leave; her faithful lapdog since becoming engaged to the chemistry teacher. It was Miss Dependable who blew the whistle on her. She really gives it to Brodie in the end. Really intense confrontation. I wonder what became of Brodie following that. Let me revise my Preview statement--this is nothing like The Corn is Green. Maggie Smith was amazing in this film and I enjoyed it. I should probably get Twitter now and stop live blogging my reviews so I can tell you what I think of these movies overall, not while I'm watching them. LOL
ATV Rating:

Mandy's Note: Month in Review
I have to be honest, not every movie on this list was on my "Must See" list. They each had their points of intrigue, but overall I have to say this wasn't my favorite month of movies. If I had to pick a favorite of the four, however, I'd go with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, probably because it interested me the most. It had the deepest plot and developed so many more of the supporting characters than some of the other movies. When a movie is over and I'm still thinking about it but not because I thought it was terrible, then I know I didn't waste my time bothering to watch it. That's how I felt following The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Both Jason and the Argonauts and The Prime were serious flicks, so having The Music Man and The Palm Beach Story thrown in for comedic relief brought some balance to the month. Of these movies, I'd have to say my least favorite was probably The Palm Beach Story. I found the writing funnier than the actual movie, if that makes any sense. I mainly stayed tuned in so I could see what other quips the characters would have for each other, not necessarily because I wanted to see what happened next. It was funny and had its cute moments but that's about it for me. These movies were okay, but I'm ready for August.

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*June's TNT: In Review*

Bride of Frankenstein:
I was expecting something much different when I first started watching the movie and my words came back to haunt me early in the movie when I realized I was bored less than 10 minutes in. LOL Fortunately that died down and I was able to enjoy the movie. I read that Karloff wasn't a big fan of this movie, as he didn't like how the Monster was humanized. I don't know if I would feel the way I do had I watched the original, but I actually like that the Monster was humanized because it allowed me to sympathize with him. He wasn't out to harm anyone, just out to try and live without being hunted and killed. I enjoyed watching the movie, but I was kind of disappointed that the Bride, the point of the flick from what I assumed since that was the title, didn't come until the tail end and didn't even like her mate. I just thought she'd have more camera time or would be a more prominent feature and much of the movie felt rushed to me, including the ending. I liked it, but after over an hour of buildup the ending just kind of ran together and it all felt rather anticlimactic to me, especially considering the title.
ATV Rating:

Bathing Beauty:
I came into this movie already knowing that Esther Williams was to be the star of this movie, so I wanted to see why. She dazzled so many people, the director included, that the movie's title was changed from Mr. Co-ed to Bathing Beauty to showcase her, so I knew it must have been something serious. To be honest though, I was more enthralled by Red Skelton as far as characters go. I was so angry that I'd missed out on that type of comedic genius. I found him hilarious and I see now why he was so revered and mentioned as one of the late greats of physical comedy. One thing I absolutely loved were the swimming routines, especially the last routine, and that's where Esther truly shone to me. The routines were captivating and unique and Esther Williams never looked more amazing than when she was in the water. She really was a fish with legs. Ariel in the flesh, and I promise that's no exaggeration. When she was performing, my eyes were on her from the time she got in the water until the time she finished her routine. The movie was a cute one although I was a little mad at Esther's character for believing the lie so quickly. I'm not usually one for long musical pieces in film but this one did it well, didn't go overboard, and was still entertaining. Colorful gang of characters that each brought something funny to the movie overall. What I remember the most, however, was Red Skelton's comedic timing and Esther Williams seeming to come to life in that water.
ATV Rating:

Untamed Youth:
I was never a big fan of the movie studios attempting to recreate Marilyn Monroe in upcoming actresses, but both Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren were/are beautiful, I have to give them that. The only reason I wasn't a fan is because Marilyn's appeal was unique and should have been left that way. Despite the popularity of Mansfield and Van Doren, however, I think it kind of was because even though they were styled similar to Marilyn, you just can't beat the original. She had something they didn't, to me. As you can tell, Marilyn Monroe is another girlcrush of mine. lol They each had something she didn't as well though, so I guess I'm not too upset. They each made it their own. Crazy how hitchhiking was illegal then; it probably saved more lives than it disrupted. The corruption makes itself clear very early. Russ is quite the ass, isn't he?  The guard busts in on the ladies changing while he's taking the trampy housekeeper in and one of the ladies yells, "Get out of here, you peeper!" He shoots back with this lazy drawl, "What you got I ain't interested in seein'." Looks like the big girl on campus isn't as tough as she thought, huh? At least she took her loss like a champ and made friends with Jane instead. This guy Russ is a total tool. He enters an agreement with other farmers to find laborers for their farms, but takes 60% of their crop! They have no other choice, so they have to agree or risk losing the year's crop. The boys seem to be more rebellious and that is totally a worker's mentality to make a song out of your misfortune. LOL This poor judge is too moony-eyed for her own good; she's practically lick-shining Russ's shoes to please him. At every opportunity these kids get they take it to dance and have a good time. Minus the cotton-picking, it looks like fun. Poor dork is trying his best, ain't he? lol Is Russ really so determined to find his next piece of inmate ass that he really has to sic the dogs on her to find her? I was wondering when they were going to figure out that Baby was pregnant, but they were too late. I'm also wondering when that poor judge is going to realize she's been had. She straight up said that nothing mattered except for Russ, including her own son. Russ is feeding them canned dog food?! What a grade-A dick! Oh snaps, the judge married Russ? I thought he was just her man on the side. Well damn. And even after she's shown proof, she still chooses to send her son away in favor of this fool. I wonder what's in vintage makeup to where the lipstick never smudged. Whatever it is, I want some of it. I'm not doing too much kissing, but I'm still tired of seeing my lip print everywhere. lol Finally the judge sees the light!  I was surprised that it was Lori Nelson's Jane that found love in the movie as opposed to Mamie Van Doren's Penny. Nice change in pace. What the hell, this man has no conscience. He'd take his 'wife's' son and have him killed in Mexico without a second thought?? I feel a little bad for Judge Steele but at least she finally did right by her inmates. I think this is a good movie to show the harm in prison labor and just how it works when corruption is present. It was also a great way to show Mamie Van Doren's talent. I enjoyed it.
ATV Rating:

A Bridge Too Far/ Robin and Marian:
I have to confess that I'm not overly thrilled to see this movie, despite the big names in the cast. As I mentioned in the TNT Preview for this film, I'm not a huge Robin Hood fan and the movies I have seen based on the Robin Hood theme were usually comedies, so I'm not sure what I should be expecting here. The synopsis I heard could be a comedy, but I'm going to take a guess and assume that this isn't one of those films. lol I'm a few minutes in, and I'm still holding my breath hoping for a laugh. I just can't seem to take Robin Hood seriously, I guess. I think it's time to give up the ghost. What an ass Lion-Heart is to kill children just to gain a treasure but darned if that old man's arm wasn't accurate as hell to have thrown, not shot, an arrow from the top of the castle and still pierce Lion-Heart just under his neck. I have to admire his holding a conversation while getting an arrow taken out of his neck, then growing impatient and removing it himself. LOL Maybe there's some comedy in this after all. After all that work to break out of the prison, at the exact moment Robin finishes his work, the guard comes in to retrieve them to meet with the king. lmao I HAD to include this bit of dialogue from Richard. He's dying from his wound, so he holds a farewell party of sorts for himself and like I said, Robin and John are summoned to see him. While speaking to Robin, he says, "I was a king. My mother, she'll be 80 soon, the bitch. I've sent for her, do you think she'll come?" I am eagerly awaiting to see a sliver of dialogue in a serious movie that is half that hilarious to me. It was said so matter-of-factly that I giggle every time it repeats in my head. Truth be told though, I'm bored to tears and believe I have dozed off more than once. I don't think this is a film for me.
ATV Rating:

Month in Review-My Thoughts:
I like the offerings we had for this month's TNT. A little bit of drama, little bit of horror, some comedy and some adventure. It was a nice mix. I wasn't entirely happy with all of the movies that we watched this month, but I did find some good picks. I like when there's a mixture of movies rather than one specific genre; it gives a bit of variety and showcases both different types of actors and different styles of movies. Most people separate vintage films into either black and white noir films or '50s films, and showing a mix of times, stars and genres not only blows that stereotype out of the water, it shows the range that was displayed even then. It can be rather refreshing in this day and age, where everything is remade and CGI-assisted and often follows the same skeleton. Looking forward to July!

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*May's TNT: In Review*

Duel in the Sun:
Twelve minutes of prelude. Good grief. I could have taken a shower and come back before the prelude was over. LOL That situation with the parents certainly escalated fast, didn't it? It must be a really hard thing to go through back then, knowing your parent was to be executed and there was nothing you could do about it but let them be led to their death. Being as rude as Pearl was bit her in the bum when she got to town and rightfully so, she almost missed her ride and that's what she gets. lol Is that Prissy from Gone With the Wind? I swear I'd recognize her voice anywhere, I'd never heard anything like it before I watched GWTW and I've never heard anything like it since. I do believe that's her. I'm about half an hour in and I'm not very interested.  Funny way to show your disdain for the piano though, by firing off a gun. Young Gregory Peck was a very dashing looking man. Woof. This Senator guy's rather racist, ain't he? Laura Belle's rather snobby about race herself but he's on some other stuff. I guess because at one time Laura Belle had a thing for Pearl's dad, I don't know. But aren't they cousins anyway? I can see who the good and bad sons are now; I couldn't immediately tell but I can now after the way Lewt accosted Pearl in her room. I think she kind of liked it though. It's a little ironic to me that Gregory Peck later played Atticus Finch, the picture of justice (to me). Vashti's just as bad as Prissy with the babbling lmao. Dice is a really cute horse and trained quite well too. Except for when he takes novice rider Pearl for the ride of her life then throws her off when he's finished. Reminds me of bad sex. LOL I can't stand the guy but Lewton's drawl is so appealing....I'd love for him to read me a bedtime story. Or put me to sleep. I don't care which one. I'm not too happy with Pearl for unwittingly pitting these brothers even further against each other by picking and choosing to spend time with both of them and step on the other's toes in the process. Jennifer Jones was gorgeous though, I'm taken aback a little every time I look at her. The preacher's a bit of a skeeze isn't he, praying over Pearl's body and soul then checking her out on the low. I'm sorry Jesse got disowned the way he did by his father; I found it rather weird that he's supposed to be a Senator, a beacon of honesty and truth, yet sides with his corrupted son and shuns the one trying to do right. I think it is very masculine to watch a man break in a horse....but very dangerous...which makes it just a little hot to me. lol Ladies, the concept of a woman trying to change a man has been around for a looong time. Let this show how it wasn't successful then, isn't successful now, and won't be successful later. The scenes with Pierce though removed my sympathy for Pearl; she isn't quite as unawares as she would like to portray. She knows the power of her feminine wiles as well as how and when to use them to her advantage. The poor man's taken with her, and most of her mind is on trying to get Lewt to pay her two cents of attention, which I'm sure won't work. At least she admitted that she doesn't love him, I'll give her that. This "Check Your Gun With the Bartender" sign is priceless--a sign o' the times for real. And this is what makes me mad--Lewt doesn't want Pearl as his wife any more than he does some other woman; he just doesn't want someone else to have her. So he shoots Pierce. Quick shot, but really--what an ass. I swear this guy must have been the blueprint for the creation of Patrick Bergen's Martin in Sleeping with the Enemy. I had to jot this line down that Lewt says to Pearl. "Anybody who was my girl is still my girl. That's the kind of guy I am, you know, loyal." This is before she throws herself, literally, at his feet and when he gets to the door he kicks her aside and leaves. What an ass!! Laura Belle is dying now and another jotworthy line came courtesy of the Senator. He said, "I kept saying to myself all through the years that I hated ya, til finally I did hate ya." Damn. LOL Even in grief, Vashti's still babbling. Hilarity. For Lewt to shoot his own brother, then send his lackey back to let Pearl know he'll be back to make sure he kills Jesse next time, it shows me that he really had no thought or love at all for his brother. I can see the wistfulness in Pearl's eyes when talking to Helen; she knows she chose the wrong brother but in doing so Jesse now has the right woman. Jennifer Jones played the 'woman on a mission' role to a T to do right by Jesse and succeeded in shooting Lewt, but melted immediately when she finally, on her deathbed, got to hear the three words she needed to hear. It was a sad but kind of sweet moment that the deathbed confession created; it allowed Pearl to die at peace and in the arms of the one that despite better judgment and the bullet in her chest, she loved. Jennifer Jones had off the wall chemistry with both brothers in very different ways, and I'm sorry the movie ended in death. It would have been nice for Pearl to get her happy ending but in a way I suppose she did. A little overdramatic in parts and that I could have done without, but overall I enjoyed this movie. Nice introduction to a younger Gregory Peck (I've seen a couple of his movies before) and great intro to Jennifer Jones.
ATV Rating:

There's Always Tomorrow:
I wasn't aware that Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray made 4 movies together. I can already tell that the kids are probably brats and don't know how to say 'excuse me' because they're so concerned with themselves. When even your cook is too busy trying to get out of the house to pay you any mind, you are officially invisible in your own home. It's awful bold of Norma to show up at her ex-flame's home, isn't it? Anyone with eyes can see she's still carrying a torch for Cliff, but the poor man is so ignored and neglected by everyone else that he's just thrilled to have someone interested in anything he's doing. After managing to have a decent evening, what happens when he comes home? His wife says all of 15 words to him and goes back to sleep. The youngest, Frankie, is a real brat. I really don't like when she's in a scene she annoys me so much. LOL Is that bad? The oldest and middle children are the typical self-involved teens and Marion makes excuses for every imaginable reason to not spend some time with Cliff and doesn't bother to change a thing. Cliff's wants or needs come behind the children's and yet again, he's left alone. I feel bad for Cliff but he takes it all in stride, as if he's used to it by now. It spells trouble for him to run into Norma on his business trip, but whaddya know, there she is. lol Uh oh, Vinnie and his friends have decided to join Cliff on his trip and in addition to spelling trouble, I smell it now too, especially with the cancellation of his business partner's arrival. Poor Cliff, and it's not even his fault. It all looks bad when it's actually quite innocent. At least the boy's girlfriend has some sense. Vinnie is too suspicious for his own good and jumps to conclusions without knowing all. It's rather ridiculous. They don't ask for explanations, don't ask for reasons, anything. They ignore and disregard Cliff, then at the first sign of something immediately disrespect and again, disregard. They call Cliff's character into question at the first chance they get and Marion brushes him off. Cliff's growing frustration with life leads him to call Norma in the middle of the night and I can see the trouble now. This coincides with Vinnie's return home and naturally looks even worse than it is. Trouble has definitely arrived. I love how Vinnie can tell Norma his wrong impression but couldn't tell his own father. SMH Kudos to Norma for giving these fools a what-for about themselves instead of coddling them. Norma said this line in the movie that sticks with me, both for personal reasons and because the line is too accurate for its own good. She told Cliff's kids, "You don't give love, you only know how to take it." Cliff loved the idea of Norma and that she paid attention to him, but underneath it all he really wanted that same attention from his own family and she saw that. I can't say this ending was terribly happy, but it's what had to happen. I like Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray together and their chemistry is again what made the movie for me.
ATV Rating:

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner:
This movie is one of my mom's and my uncle's favorites, so I was looking forward to enjoying this TNT with them. My uncle watches more TCM movies than my mom, but neither of them watch as many as I do so it isn't often that I get to share my love for these movies with them. The irony of it all is that we ended up missing the movie, actually LOL, but I got to record most of it on DVR. Anyway, I really liked this movie mainly because of Spencer Tracy. The first two movies I saw him in were this one and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World so even though I knew he was more famous for his serious work, I enjoyed him more in things like this. I like that they tackled the still-controversial (in some circles) topic of interracial relationships and managed to do it cleverly as well. It always makes me sad to remember that this was Spencer Tracy's final film, but one hell of a final film it was. I had never gotten the chance to see him and Katharine Hepburn together in a film, in fact had never seen one of Hepburn's films at all so this was a first in two ways for me. They kind of reminded me of an older Bacall and Bogart. I think this was a stellar cast and they played off of each other wonderfully. Actually, let me think. I think Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was my first time watching Sidney Poitier as well, because my mom was watching this one day and I wanted to know what it was about. So to revise my earlier statement, this movie was a first for me on several levels. That's vague enough to pass if I cover yet another first that I discover about this movie later. LOL I wish I'd been able to catch it from the beginning which is why I didn't take notes, but I thought it was a great movie.
ATV Rating:

Safety Last!:
Because this film is silent, it was really cool for it to begin on the twist that it did. I love the clumsy mistakes and the quickened playback, it always cracks me up. Crazy how rent for two weeks was $14 and was considered expensive a hundred years ago. The way they hide from the landlady is a riot. I had to rewind it and watch it again. LOL How she couldn't make out human forms simply because they were on a coatrack made no sense but it was funny anyway. The lengths that The Boy went to so he could get back to work were hilarious...the poor EMT didn't know what to do with himself when the man he perceived to be dead suddenly yelled in his ear. The Boy's priorities are so off, giving up an entire week's pay for a chain when the rent is due at the same time. Not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, but you can't say he doesn't love his lady. Rather predictably, she decides she can no longer be without him and comes to see him, thinking him to be more important at his company than he really is, and it looks like it might end up getting him fired instead. He could have at least told his co-workers so they could have played along with him. That's what I would have done if I was that intent on putting up a front. lol I just love silents and this one definitely didn't disappoint or lack in excitement or intrigue despite the lack of words. People don't give silents quite the respect and time that they should; I know it's going to sound crazy considering it's a film but people today rely a little too much on the dialogue to make the film. Silents prove that you don't necessarily need that dialogue to still enjoy a movie and absorb the main message. It takes work to make a movie anyway, but it is especially hard when you don't have tone inflection and pages of dialogue to keep the viewers interested. I think silent actors had to work twice as hard to get us viewers to understand, and while some of the dialogue is written out, it's not the same as hearing them say it but I didn't really need that while I was watching this film. The actors did a wonderful job of making me feel I was not missing out on anything due to the lack of voices. This was a really cute movie and I would watch it again.
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Back from Eternity:
This movie made me sad. I read a little about the events of the movie before watching it so I could do the TNT Preview on it and I was already aware that the movie didn't end happily, but I kind of hoped I would be wrong. The last 5 minutes or so of the movie were probably the worst for me because I knew what was going to happen and just wondered how the filmmakers would carry it out. Thankfully it wasn't shown on film and I guess in a way, there was a happy ending for the others that were stranded. It kind of reminds me of Lord of the Flies with the whole stuck on a deserted island and running from cannibals bit. I probably won't watch it again, if you want the truth. It just wasn't my thing and I had a hard time staying interested. You can completely see that if you look back through this post and my notes on each film, I have notes and commentary throughout all of the movies this month except for this one. I just didn't like it. So I didn't take any.
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*April's TNT: In Review*

Goodbye Again:
I didn't catch the beginning of the movie, but from the point I did catch it it wasn't hard for me to follow. I felt so badly for Ingrid Bergman's Paula at first; so alone and neglected while her boyfriend shamelessly cheats on her and has no desire to change. "They mean nothing to me. It's how I am, I've never tried to hide it. I was always honest," Roger told Paula, as if that makes anything he's doing acceptable. Sad that's the mentality of many a cheater, both yesterday and today. In essence I think she asks him if she can have an affair, and since he has so many I don't see why he should care any. I wonder how many men and women find themselves in this predicament, either because the man is cheating or he is with a woman that is like Roger. Paula clearly loves Roger to death but her loneliness inevitably gets the better of her, and how could it not with Roger's blatant infidelities and bold declarations to never get married in front of Paula. Young Philip is all too endearing with his boyish charms and it appeals to the oft-ignored and disrespected Paula. I can tell she's torn between her obvious and very deep love for the undeserving Roger and her acknowledgement of the young Philip's affections. This movie explores the double standard that still in a way exists today--it was expected, sometimes encouraged, for a man to step out. It was considered normal and any expectations of fidelity were written off as poppycock. Don't want to stifle the man or let him get too bored with you, they'd always say. And as the woman, you were expected, mainly encouraged, to turn the other cheek. Bonus points for the man if the woman was younger. But a woman having an affair? With a younger man? Put a scarlet H for Harlot on her chest and stone her to death! It's a hard predicament, starting a relationship with a man who loves you but you don't love him, because the man you love won't love you back. It's also a hard predicament pursuing someone you know can never love you, knowing the entire time that one day they won't want you anymore, will want the person their heart still beats for, but you try anyway. I found this movie more realistic than I can say and still relevant today, some 52 years later. In the end, consequences...and a bit of karma...were served. Even though they made some decisions that were harmful, in the end they were realistic and relatable decisions. Such is life sometimes. You can't always make the popular, or the fantasy, or hell even the right decision. Sometimes it feels right, but isn't. Sometimes it is the right decision, but you don't realize it until it's too late. By then you've made your bed. The lead characters played their parts flawlessly and made this not necessarily a movie, but a very real look into what I bet are probably many relationships today. To love or be loved...it's the best case scenario to love and be loved, but unfortunately many of us have to choose one or the other.
ATV Rating:

The Corn is Green:
Typical resistant town to something that is actually good for them; in this day and age it sounds amazingly ridiculous to reject the notion of education, but back during the time period this movie was set in education was for women and only until they were a certain age. For an entire town, the concept was ridiculous and most people felt the effort was wasted and so was the boys' time when they could be out making a living. Educating them was seen as "giving false hopes" because of the encouragement to do and be all that one can, and I think the various townspeople did a good job of portraying such fear and rejection of change. In a time period where women were seen as flimsy, I appreciated Miss Moffat for being the exact opposite. She said something to the squire towards the beginning of the movie that I had--had!--to copy because even though it was the early 1900s then, it is still very true now. She said, "I know I should be sticking a pin into a whale, but here are two words about yourself. I should like to point out that there is a considerable amount of dirt, ignorance, misery and discontent abroad in this world and a good deal of it is due to people like you. You are a stupid, conceited, addle-headed nincompoop, and you can go to blue blazes. Good afternoon." Loved. It. Later she tells Miss Ronberry, "The squire is so stupid he wears it like a halo." You could tell that the general dislike for what Miss Moffat was trying to do was wearing on her, and despite her strength even she couldn't resist a good cry, if only for a few seconds. It was nice to see the moment that her inspiration returned and her determination to see her plans through. I think Bette Davis was an excellent choice for Miss Moffat, as was Mildred Dunnock's selection as Miss Ronberry. The manipulative little bat after Morgan was quite the thorn in the side from the beginning and knew all the right things to say at the right time to get her way. The girl's own mother didn't even like her. She said, "I don't like her here, you know. I never did take to her. The first time I saw her, I said no." LOL This movie had so many quoteworthy quips. The little tart was just hateful, for no reason, with no provocation. It was also nice to see the gradual transformation of Morgan's character from an unpolished student to an educated, intelligent man with potential. I didn't like how things were hidden from Morgan, but I can see why they were kept a secret. It was inspiring to see the town make a turnaround from being openly closed-minded to being in full support at the end. A hard decision was made and there was a bittersweet happily ever after. This was a feel-good, a bit of an inspiration and wonderful from start to finish. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
ATV Rating:

Love Me Tender:
The action in this movie starts from jump. One thing that I think detracted from the beginning a little was that because the action started right away, I had a hard time figuring out who the main characters were because there were so many people in the mix. After the initial action died down, I was a little bored for a few minutes. Once it did get started though, I was pretty interested to see how the fiber of this family would be fixed once everything came to light. Presley's Clint was just becoming a man and clearly idolized the hell out of Vance. By the way, what a welcome home gift 'ol Vance had to deal with receiving, huh? After fighting for 4 years straight, you get ready to come home and propose to your girl, only to find out that your entire family thinks you're dead and your dad has died, then when you get home you find out that your woman has up and married your baby brother--the one that just so happens to think you hung the stars in the sky. But in total oldest sibling fashion, Vance had to play the martyr and downplay his heartbreak as to not upset Clint so that the latter could be happy. That's an incredibly hard thing to do. I felt so bad for him. I guess this is where Elvis perfected the infamous hip thrust. I could tell that any opportunity the director saw to give Elvis a chance to shine, he took it. Vance said a line in this movie that I had to write down because it was too true for its own good. He said, "A home can be full of too much love. Then one night it burns up, and everyone in it." None of these men were bad and at the end of the day were just trying to take what they felt was theirs--spoils of war, they called it. So it was sad to see that the movie doesn't end with a happily ever after for the family; was in fact ripped apart again by greedy actions on the part of those who were supposed to be Vance's friends. If anything, this movie showed me that sometimes, you can't trust anyone, even family. It also showed that when you are lied to by the person who you love and admire the most, the wrong words at the perfect time can make all the right sense when your defenses are down. I wasn't overwhelmed by this movie, but I did enjoy it. There was no happy ending to be had here, so while the ending bothered me (what can I say, I'm an optimist lol) there was really no way that it could have resolved happily. Good introductory movie for Elvis.
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Murder at the Gallop:
The action in the movie starts almost immediately and even though I would still much prefer Poirot (and hope that one of his movies gets to be featured on a TNT), I'm interested to see how the film version was adapted to fit Miss Marple in the shoes of the investigator instead. I love that this little old lady rides a bike. Just love it. Right when you think you might be getting somewhere, the movie throws a little wrench in the plans, usually in the form of murder. Some interesting players in this flick; very bold about their intentions and as is usually the case with Agatha Christie players, they all have something to hide, something that makes them suspicious for the reader (or the viewer). Very agile, Miss Marple is. I think I adore her. I also think it takes a rotten person to try and kill a little old lady, even if she is a nosy one. There was much more murder than I thought would be in this movie; already 3 were dead by the last half-hour of the flick and Miss Marple would have been fourth had the earlier attempt succeeded. I took some random notes on the movie and I have concluded that I do adore Miss Marple. She's sharp, intelligent, I still love that she rides a bike, and didn't mind wearing the hell out of that dress to go dance towards the end. She tickles me. The disguise at the end was rather campy and elementary in format and I still saw who it was by looking into their eyes. I was surprised to find out who it was, though. One of my favorite lines came at the end, after the killer was caught trying to kill Miss Marple and the inspector asked her why she didn't ring the bell on the side table. She said simply, "The law may have a long arm, Inspector. Unfortunately, I haven't." The finish was rather anti-climactic and I was kind of bummed that more didn't come of the other characters who looked equally suspicious, but all in all the movie wrapped itself up nicely. Miss Marple even got a proposal out of the deal and it was rather cute. That bit of dialogue were the last lines in the film and were by far my favorite. After turning down the proposal, Miss Marple tells her would-have-been suitor that she has other interests, namely a murder-mystery coming up that she is part of. The suitor says he wouldn't be interested in attending, but asks Miss Marple to stay on for the day as his guest for a hunt. She says rather quickly, "I'm sorry but I do not approve of bloodsports," and leaves. He says, "Well that was a narrow escape." The irony, right? LOL. I would not watch this movie again and can see why Agatha Christie wasn't entirely fond of how her book was adapted for this film but I am glad I was introduced to Miss Marple.

ATV Rating:

Dream Wife:
So this flick started with an older "Arab" man giving us a preview of what was to come in the movie, with English subtitles at the bottom and I totally could have done without that little 'preview.' I could see him reading off of the cue cards and there were a few too many English words in there to be believable. Just a random note. I have to say this was an interesting change of events, with the man trying to woo the woman and the woman being the more successful of the two, ordering Clem around and killing the mood of romance. A common theme I noticed throughout the movie was how various women, Effie included, disregarded common courtesies such as opening the door for Clem, lighting his cigarette and on a more contradictory note Effie's secretly leaving Clem's phone off the hook while he had to deal with hers ringing over and over again earlier in the day. I have to say that when I first read the summary for the movie I thought Clem was just being a chauvinistic old-fashioned male and did not know how to deal with having a successful partner but as I'm watching, it's more a reversal of gender roles. Effie tries to make the issue about Clem wanting her to stay at home and have no career, but in reality he just wanted her to deem their relationship important enough to put work on hold, just for a minute, which if you think about it is a complaint often lobbied by us women. Clem is oft-ignored and unconsidered for much of the movie, and it is probably partially due to my girlcrush on Cary Grant that this disrespect pisses me off. It's rude and inconsiderate and happens far too often. This leads to the obvious and foreseen breakup of Effie and Clem and his pursuit of Princess Tarji. Said pursuit involves Clem having to dress in traditional Arabian garb before flying to see her, and a funny scene ensues at the airport. This was clearly Cary Grant's niche and nobody delivered the dry quips quite like he did. He did well with deeper material, but these comedies are where I think he really shined. A very interesting scene comes about halfway through the movie, where the tables are turned and where men are ignored and talked down to by their American women who feel entitled to superior treatment, Bukistani women revere their men and do for them, so smaller actions that were ignored by Effie at the beginning of the film were immediately picked up on and performed by Tarji, something that did not slip past Clem's notice. Total case of "What you won't do, someone else will" and that sentiment holds true today. It's nice to be appreciated and valued, and where your partner refuses to do it there is someone out there who won't mind picking up the slack. Unfortunately for 'ol Clem, romancing Tarji holds its own set of disadvantages and he still doesn't get quite what he wants. Whereas the problem was work with Effie, it is protocol and rules with Tarji. However, the movie takes a (sort of) surprising turn and everyone goes home happy. This was a cute movie.
ATV Rating:

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*March's TNT: In Review*

Can-Can: I tuned in a little late so I missed the first few minutes of the movie, but the minute Shirley MacLaine's character was onscreen the only thing I could think of was "Wow, she was a beaut." Just gorgeous. She had a smile that really could light up an entire room and she seemed to be full of life. Little FYI that I'm sure everyone knows; that's Warren Beatty's older sister. Anyway, I loved the little dance numbers. One of my favorite lines in the movie came right after a very long and animated dance sequence, in which Louis Jourdan's character Philipe asks her character Simone, "And you do this every night?" and she says "No, no no. We're closed on Sundays," just as easy as pie. This film also marks the first time I'd had the pleasure of viewing a Frank Sinatra movie. He didn't have the effortless charm of a Cary Grant or the brash class of a Humphrey Bogart; Ol' Blue Eyes had a charm, a class, and left a feeling in his viewer that put him in a class by himself. Another flick in which I loved the costumes. The film in general confused me a little; I found myself unsure of Simone's intentions or what her true motives were throughout the movie and I suppose this jarred me a little. She seemed to flip-flop with little provocation which she shows repeatedly in spades for the last 20 minutes of the movie, seemingly going the way of whoever proposed marriage, just as Sinatra's Francois turned on her quite quickly after rejecting another lady in favor of Simone, and Philipe fell in love with Simone rather fast and without much reason. The movie was acted out well and was entertaining to watch but it did confuse me in terms of motives and this threw me off. What I loved, however, was that we got to see true tribute paid to one of my very favorite dances, the can-can.

ATV Rating:

13 Rue Madeleine: I have to be honest, I really wasn't looking forward to having to watch this movie when I first tuned in. The feeling didn't improve much for the first 20 minutes or so of the film; for me it took a long time to really get heated. But once it did, I was riveted. I wanted to figure out who the double agent was and I got the answer wrong at first, until I started paying attention and putting the signs together. James Cagney had a very realistic style of acting, I realized while watching this movie. He wasn't overly dramatic, not too serious, just realistic. An effortless blend to me is what separates the actors from the true legends. The movie wasn't overly thrilling or dramatic, but it was realistic, was based upon something that was a very real threat and covered it well. Once the movie had my interest, however, boy did it have it. I didn't want to miss a moment, for missing one moment once the movie got rolling would throw you off. Some hard decisions were made throughout the movie and this was not a "happily ever after," a very real result of war. I think it was important that especially for the time period the movie was created in to keep it as realistic as possible, and I think they accomplished the goal. One thing I like is that in films of yesteryear, they weren't afraid to axe the main character, to kill off the big name stars. Sometimes in tv shows today, you pretty much know that the main characters or the big names aren't going anywhere and this often takes away from the realism of the show or movie. They're getting back to that element of surprise these days thank heavens, but I did see that in this movie and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm still not sold on war flicks, but I'm glad I gave this one a chance. I can see why this movie scored right in the middle on the ratings and reviews, and it wasn't through fault of the actors or even the plot. It wasn't too thrilling, was just interesting enough to catch the eye, wasn't too boring, wasn't too much of anything. It was just okay, and that was okay with me.

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Compulsion: One of the first notes I took on this movie was "Judd seems to have a conscience. Artie, however, does not and he seems to be taking Judd's away from him because the other wants Artie's approval so badly." and it was dead on. Within the first 5 minutes of the movie, I could immediately tell who the leader and who the follower was in this duo. Artie got a perverse pleasure out of a number of things--committing crimes, the power he gained from committing said crimes, the joy he got out of pretending he didn't know a thing and ordering Judd. He called crime "beautiful." If you were paying attention, his eagerness "to help" hid just the slightest desperation to not be discovered, therefore his reasoning for tagging along with the reporters to see their every move. It was creepy to watch, at least for me. I wanted him to get caught so badly. I found it so odd how condescending and rebellious Judd was with others, yet how submissive he was with Artie, so desperate for the other man's approval. They behaved like lovers, if you ask me, not friends. The way that Judd would want Artie to "order" him to do something, and from that moment would look and behave as if in a trance, seemed to get off by being ordered, seemed like the behavior of a submissive lover trying to get the Master's approval. Yet he seemed to look tortured in the very next breath after desiring to be ordered to commit a crime. It was strange to watch. He wanted the approval of a man who had no loyalty to him, alluded to such earlier in the movie and I can say that one complaint I had with the movie was how it glossed over the actual crime. I can sort of understand why though; directors weren't as daring back then and the public wouldn't have been as accepting of watching a young boy killed on-screen, especially because the story was based upon real-life events. For all of his intelligence, Artie's slip-up toward the middle of the film was elementary and that's always where those who feel they are above the world make their mistakes. Same for Judd, which led to his eventual confession. I can't necessarily say I loved this movie which is why I didn't give it a full five, but I found it to be very intriguing. To tell the truth, my eye wasn't even on Orson Welles; my eye was on the two who committed the crime. They did a damn good job and I enjoyed watching the psychological game they played with the world...and each other.

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Edge of the City: Not going to lie, this was another one I was kind of reluctant to watch, even though it starred Sidney Poitier. I just couldn't see myself enjoying it too much, which is one reason why this review post is so late. It was nice to see an interracial friendship at a time when it definitely wasn't a good thing to be Black. Tommy (Poitier) and Axel (Cassavetes) seemed to make fast friends and it seemed genuine from day one, very believable. I loved their friendship, despite the obstacles Tommy had a easygoing and lighthearted nature about him, and I think he helped Axel belong somewhere for the first time in awhile. There was something different about this movie. It wasn't a romance, wasn't a crime drama, wasn't a straight drama (to me), it was a movie about life happening to these two characters and I guess that's why I felt it moved rather slow. The lack of loyalty towards the end of the movie broke my heart though. One major complaint that I had about this movie was how much of a coward Axel was; it pissed me off. So quick to run away from problems. His cowardice was selfish and gutless. But that was more a character complaint that needed to be there more than a complaint with the movie. Finally, though, Axel gained his juevos and justice was served.  The friendship between the men was true blue and loyal to a fault on Tommy's part; but in the end Axel finally manned up and paid proper tribute to his friend, which I enjoyed. Glad I decided to watch this movie.

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