Reviews

Series 1-3 of "All Creatures Great & Small" is a classic with outstanding performances and great writing. Based on the books by Alf Wight writing under the pseudonym of James Herriot, it is set in the mid-1930s. Having watched this on PBS in the late 1970's and multiple times since then, it has become a show dear to my heart. I have also read everything Herriot has written many times and have read the biography his son, James, authored about his father. I viewed one episode of the 2020 remake of "All Creatures" and decided it did not live up to the 1978 original.

One review written recently on this site has attacked the character of Tristan as played by Peter Davison by writing "Tristan is a bit irresponsible in the remake, in the original he never learned nor grew. He was ALWAYS an immature jerk." This is far from the case. The review also takes issue with Mrs Hall as played by Mary Hignett writing "one example is Mrs. Hall. In the original, she didn't have a lot of personality and you didn't learn that much about her...she was just there cooking." Just remember Mrs Hall's triumph when her preserves won in the second series "Judgement Day" episode.

"A Feud Is a Feud" is without a doubt one of the worst episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show." It is poorly written, acted, and seems to last much longer than a normal episode. The retelling of Romeo and Juliet by Andy Taylor is ridiculous and cringe inducing, and would make anyone who has read and/or seen Shakespeare's play be astonished. The whole premise that feuding would still exist in 1960's America is hard to believe which makes the show more than a fantasy; it is unreal.

The majority of reviewers think this episode is wonderful. One praises it, writing "overall, this is an exceptionally written show from start to finish. Heartwarming, funny and extremely clever--you can't help but like this one!" Nothing could be further from the truth.

Having seen this episode when it first aired and many time since then, it never fails to entertain. This is the only Christmas episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." Mel comes to the writing staff and tells them that Alan Brady has rejected the script they have written because many critics state that what his Christmas shows lack is heart. He'll have his staff, who entertain at many of his social functions, be the headliners of the show. Bill Persky and Sam Denoff wrote the script for this show, including three of the songs: "Anthem for Alan Brady," "Santa, Send A Fella," and "I Have Everything But You." The regular cast perform the songs, including Richard Deacon and Larry Matthews sings "Little Drummer Boy." All are very good.

One review, however, is lacking in this Christmas spirit writing "it also is a big singing and dancing extravaganza...which are the sorts of episodes I really, really hate. . .It's like a child who is excited for Christmas but when they open up their presents, it's all underwear!" Some impoverished children would be thrilled to get anything for Christmas, even if it is underwear.

In this episode, Rob convinces Laura, Buddy, Sally, and Mel to take part in a variety show at an old friend's resort in the Catskills. As far as Dick Van Dyke was concerned, the highlight of the episode was the Laurel and Hardy sketch in which he was able to play Stan Laurel - a part that was clearly intended as a tribute to one of Van Dyke's most esteemed boyhood idols. "Laurel was my hero," remembers Van Dyke, who counts among this most cherished memories the afternoon he got the opportunity to meet Stan Laurel at his home in Santa Monica. (The Official Dick Van Dyke Show Book by Vince Waldron, 1994, Hyperion).

Following the broadcast of "The Sam Pomerantz Scandals," Van Dyke recalls "I called him (Laurel) as soon as the show went off the air." Laurel offered "25 minutes of notes and criticisms." Van Dyke would stay in frequent contact with Laurel until his idol's death in February 1965, at which time Van Dyke was asked to prepare a eulogy.

There is no doubt that series four is uneven compared to the excellent first three series of the "All Creatures Great and Small." This episode and "Only One Woof" both stand out as very good. James Grout as Granville Bennett is always a delight and provides great humor whenever he appears on a show. Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon and Peter Davison as his brother Tristan are both excellent. Granted there is some repetition of story lines from previous episodes, but it is not too intrusive. The only other review which exists at this point complains about the "recycling" of ideas from other episodes, but again it does not get in the way of the enjoyment of the show.

The original "All Creatures Great and Small" is a classic television series from the BBC. This first episode where James Herriot meets Siegfried Farnon is quite special since James must treat Mr White's lame horse before he is hired by Siegfried. James also decides, under the watch of the difficult Mr Soames, to euthanise Lord Hulton's valuable horse after he makes the diagnosis that it is in agony and pain from intestinal torsion. The characters are all faithful to the book by James Herriot (Alf Wight) and are very well portrayed by Christopher Timothy and Robert Hardy. Hardy had a long career in theater, film, and television. In addition to his portrayal of Farnon, he also was Cornelius Fudge in the "Harry Potter" film series and Winston Churchill in several productions.

Sadly, one reviewer on this site writes "The actors aren't identical to the characters from the book. . . After this series, it's hard to imagine them doing anything else." In addition to Hardy, Christopher Timothy and Carol Drinkwater are very active and are not limited to the characters which they performed on this show.

"John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick" in an unimpressive documentary which covers quite a bit of territory, but goes on for much too long. Robert Mitchum was not the best choice to serve as host/narrator as his voice is a monotone and not very exciting. The witnesses were well chosen, but big portions of Huston's life seem to be missing. The last films he made during his lifetime were barely discussed.

Reviews on this site appear to praise the documentary highly. One reviewer is quite confused, however. He seems to think the Huston directed "Myra Breckinridge" when he only appeared in it as a character named "Buck Loner." The reviewer writes "he also made some films that were total crap ("Myra Breckinridge" comes quickly to mind)." This is repeated twice later in the review,, but it is false. Michael Sarne directed "Myra Breckinridge" and there is no doubt that it is a bad film.

The absence of Don Knotts in the last two episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" is very noteworthy. He left the show in order to make films at Universal Pictures. In his own words Knotts said "around the fifth season, Andy said that he would he would not go beyond five seasons, so I started looking around for a job and landed a contract with Universal." ("The Incredible Mr. Don Knotts," 2008). Andy hires a shy, timid carnival banjo player as a temporary deputy, played by Jerry Van Dyke. Van Dyke is only in this one episode.

Apparently several reviewers were very frustrated with Van Dyke's appearance, failing to understand why Knotts had left the show. One writes "ugghh!!! Rarely can you look back at a TV series and pinpoint the point at which a great show fell off the abyss, so to speak. . .this episode stars the ever-annoying Jerry Van Dyke--Dick's brother. Jerry was to comedy what Edgar Allen Poe was to comedy." Another agrees "what a miserable way to end the great seasons with Barney Fife. There is a lot of debate here on whether the lame Jerry Van Dyke would have been a good replacement for Barney. No debate, my answer is NO NO NO."

"Apology for Murder" is by no means a masterpiece and it is similar to "Double Indemnity" from the previous year. Second billed Hugh Beaumont appeared in over three dozen films, starring as private detective Michael Shayne in five times. As the authors of "Forgotten Horrors 3" (2003) note "it is an unfortunate cultural hangover that few people can watch Beaumont in anything today without feeling compelled to remark on the player's larger identification with the 1950's TV sitcom "Leave It to Beaver."

Yet that is exactly what many reviewers seem to do. One writes "although he was such an incredibly nice ordinary guy as the father on "Leave it to Beaver", he often played scum-bags or hardboiled cops in films." Another writes " meet Cleaver as in Ward Cleaver of Leave It to Beaver, which costarred Hugh Beaumont." Again, Beaumont played many roles in addition to Ward Cleaver. He should not be solely identified by this one character.

"While The Patient Slept" is a very good comedy murder mystery film from First National Pictures. It stars Aline MacMahon, Guy Kibee, and Lyle Talbot. It is the second in the "Crime Club" series of films tied to the "Black Mask" magazine. The cast and direction are excellent and professional and the film moves at a brisk pace with the solution to the mystery a satisfactory one.

Many of the reviews take a condescending approach to this film. One does not even get the name of the studio which produced it correctly writing "I must say that "While the Patient Slept" is a very poor one--even if it was made by the premier studio of the day, MGM." Another writes "there are a ton of characters. Non of them stands out." There are more along this line, but they are barely literate.

"The Seventh Victim" is a horror film that focuses on a young woman, Kim Hunter in her film debut, who stumbles on a Satanic cult in New York's Greenwich Village while searching for her missing sister. This also marks director Mark Robson's first credit. According to Joel Siegel in "Val Lewton: The Reality of Terror" (1973), four key scenes edited out of the film, which contributed to its narrative incoherence. This may account for complaints from critics concerning plot problems. The acting is excellent. As of September 2021, the film has an approval rating of of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Some reviewers on this site do complain strongly about the film. One writes "unfortunately, the film never delivered--allowing the tension to build but ultimately fizzle due to a very poor script--at least when compared to other Val Lewton films." Another writes "what bothered me through the whole thing was the stilted acting and lack of a clear script."

Perhaps best described as a psychological thriller rather than a horror film, "The Curse of the Cat People" is an excellent followup to the earlier "Cat People." Ann Carter was only seven years old when this was made, but she worked for 32 of the 33 days of filming. Considering her age, she is amazing in the role.

Director Joe Dante said the film's "disturbingly Disneyesque fairy tale qualities have perplexed horror fans for decades." Rotten Tomatoes gives it an approval rating of 88%. The sites critical consensus reads in part: "a touching and psychologically complex family film couched in a ghost story."

Other reviews on this site take a more mature viewpoint. One writes "Uggghhh!!! This might rank as one of the most inappropriate sequels in film history. . .while the acting and production values are good, this is NOT a Val Lewton horror film--more like a "horrible" film in that it is so unlike the original and basically expects the fans of the first film to have amnesia and watch a family movie instead. YUCK!!!"

"Gun Crazy" was directed by Joseph H. Lewis and co-written by blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo credited to Millard Kaufman because of the blacklist. Both Peggy Cummins and John Dall turn in fine performance in the leading roles. In 1998 the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Some reviewers have a different take on this film. One writes "the film is just very competently made and no more--like a slightly better than average B-movie. . .overall, a decent effort, but that's really about all. Nothing over the top or exciting here and it's really too bad for fans of Noir." What a shame that this film does not meet this reviewer "sophisticated" taste, but he seems to know more than the Library of Congress.

Having seen this film in my early twenties and then later on DVD, "Lady in the Lake" is one of the worst adaptations of a novel that has ever been produced. According to reports, Raymond Chandler, who wrote the novel, wrote a 195 page screenplay in 1945 which was rejected in 1945 by MGM. Steve Fisher then wrote a 125 page version two years later which drastically changes Chandler's midsummer novel to the Holidays and removes all the scenes that took place at the lake. Chandler objected to these changes and was insulted that another writer was changing his story and demanded that his name be removed from the film. The disaster of this film also resulted in the end of Robert Montgomery's career with MGM after 18 years with the studio.

Yet some reviewers consider this to be a great film, writing "the film features some of the most wonderfully "Noir" dialog of any detective film ever made. . .while I loved Bogart as Marlowe in THE BIG SLEEP, I actually preferred Montgomery'--both his style and much snappier dialog."

"Strangler of the Swamp" released in 1946 is a good, but not great, horror film from PRC Pictures. It is not the best picture released by this company as some people claim. The cast is also good, with Robert Barrat and Charles Middleton turning in the best performances. Rosemary La Planche, who was Miss California for three years in a row (1939-1941) and Miss America in 1941, is respectable in the film, but was not a great actress. Director Frank Wisbar keeps the mood appropriately gloomy and moody.

The reviews for this film are all over the place with some praising it and some are harshly critical. One writes "the story itself is nothing special-a fairly routine tale of revenge from beyond the grave-and the acting is perfunctory." Another says "the plot is confusing and boring. The stage set was the size of a walk-in closet." None of these are accurate depictions of the film.

"The Dragon Murder Case" is a very good mystery film starring Warren William in his only appearance as Philo Vance. According to the American Film Institute Catalog, principal photography took place from May 11, 1934 to mid-June, indicating that this is not a "B" film. The supporting cast is excellent, including such actors as Robert McWade, Margaret Lindsay, Eugene Pallette, and Lyle Talbot. Director H. Bruce Humberstone does a fine job of directing the film.

Some reviews disagree with this viewpoint. One writes "as for the mystery, it's not one of the better ones in the genre." Another says "the performances lack energy and the film moves slowly," which is not the case at all. Finally, one writes about this film "as a B-movie, its budget was relatively small and the film has very modest pretension," which, as has already been stated, it is not a B film.

"The Ape" is a good B film from Monogram Pictures which does not pretend to be a classic. It is efficiently directed by William Night and Boris Karloff turns in a professional performance. The screenplay was co-written by Curt Siodmak, who a year later would write the screenplay for "The Wolf Man." It is interesting that many reviews on this site are quite harsh concerning the screenplay, but these same reviewers praise the "The Wolf Man" as one of the best horror films ever made. "The Hollywood Reporter" noted that "The Ape" was "well-made, interesting and notable for excellent performances."

Reviews on this site disagree. One finds the film "just incredibly stiff, lacks any real entertainment and really comes across as boring." Another writes "this is a truly horrible movie, fortunately short, but it is almost laughable that somebody could think up such tripe." Perhaps "The Hollywood Reporter" provides a more accurate view.

"Night Nurse" is an excellent film directed by William A Wellman in 1931 starring Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Lyon, Joan Blondell, and an early appearance by Clark Gable. "Time" magazine praised the film in its July 27, 1931 review writing that it was well photographed, directed, and acted. Stanwyck, Blondell, Charles Winninger, and Vera Lewis all perform very well in "Night Nurse."

Some reviewers seem disagree with this viewpoint. One writes "provided you turn off your brain and just watch the film, you will no doubt enjoy this film." How one accomplishes this is a puzzle. How do you "Turn off your brain?" Another identifies Ben Lyon as Bob Lyon and another writes that only 1 in 10 people today (2017) would know who Barbara Stanwyck is, which is doubtful.

"Strange Illusion" was one of director Ulmer's best films to come from his PRC period during the 1940's. He was fortunate to have Warren William in the cast, an excellent actor and who was nicknamed, the "king of pre-code," and who died just a few years after the completion of this film. Unfortunately, many people assume that just because a film was produced by Producers Releasing Corporation that it was bad, but that is not always true. There is this film, Ulmer's "Detour," Frank Wisbar's "Strangler of the Swamp," and Anthony Mann's "Railroaded!" to name a few which are all good examples of fine PRC products.

Some reviewers have found "Strange Illusion" to be quite poor. One reviewer has taken a cerebral approach summing up "oh, and by the way,...the ending totally sucked. Totally." Another writes "this is really Oedipul as well," spelling Oedipal incorrectly.

A short comedy film, "Haunted Spooks" stars Harold Lloyd and was co-directed and produced by Hal Roach. The first half is about Lloyd's character attempting to kill himself, not a topic which is particularly humorous. The second half is set in a haunted house with Lloyd and his future wife, Mildred Davis, and several frightened Black servants. The servants are depicted as racist stereotypes with shaking knees and wide eyes. One of the Black servants is even played by a white actor in blackface. The title of the short itself is a racial slur.

Many of the reviews excuse the racism of the short as a product of its time. One writes "When the film moves to the haunted house more laughs follow including some politically incorrect ones." Another writes "I can usually overlook the racist overtones of these characterisations because the films are simply a product of their day, reflecting the opinions and attitudes of the society in which they were made." Buster Keaton co-wrote and directed four short films the same year, including one which is considered a classic, "One Week," and not one is considered racist.

While never seeing seeing the Beatles in person, I did see this film when it was first released and found it delightful and still do to this day. The group may not be the greatest thespians ever to perform, but they do remarkably well in their second outing. Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti and Roy Kinnear are also quite good. Richard Lester directs the proceedings with an able hand.

As with their first film, there a number of user reviews that find the Beatles second feature lacking. One complains that "some stupid Indian death cult (which, oddly, is made up of folks who don't look the least bit Indian--such as Leo McKern) insists on killing Ringo," while another writes that Ringo is trying to escape from an "Arab cultist." It cannot be both. Another reviewer sums up by writing "Overall, I'd say that if you were alive when The Beatles were a band, then you'll be more likely to enjoy this. If you are younger, then you're likely to think your parents were nuts for enjoying this sort of goof-ball movie!" Martin Scorcese said it best in the booklet which accompanies the 2007 DVD release of the film: "now it's time for you to do your part: watch and enjoy! You were let in on the joke, and that made even funnier." "Help!" holds an approval rating of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Having seen "A Hard Day's Night" shortly after it was released to theaters, I have seen it many times since then and always find it just as humorous as my first viewing. The Beatles were a unique group and produced some amazing music which became more complex with each passing year they were together. Wilfrid Brambell is amusing as Paul's grandfather.

The film received positive reviews and holds an approval rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. The website's critics consensus reads: "A Hard Day's Night, despite its age, is still a delight to watch and has proven itself to be a rock-and-roll movie classic." It is difficult to understand the disdain it has received from some user reviews. For example one writes "many of their jokes fall flat, the songs seem about as spontaneous as a moon landing and the lack of structure make it a niche film." Another says. The Beatles "make constant wisecracks and jokes, but a lot of them seem to be sarcastic and mean-spirited, which I didn't find appealing at all." Why the hate?

Bela Lugosi made eight film for Monogram Pictures and of the eight, this is the best. Joseph H. Lewis directs with confidence and style and gets good performances out his small cast. Lugosi plays Charles Kessler with skill, and Polly Ann Young does well with her role as his his daughter. Even Betty Compson, in a very small part, manages to do the best she can.

The vast majority of the reviews are very condescending to this little B film. One goes into detail about how Lugosi later descended into working for Edward D. Wood, Jr., which has nothing to do with this particular film. Another review writes that the actress playing Lugosi's daughter is "Pollyanna Young," which is incorrect. Another claims that "there is comic relief from Clarence Muse." The authors of "Forgotten Horrors2 (2001), Price and Turner, have a different take writing "the fine black actor Clarence Muse . . . Plays the butler with stern authority." (page 155).

Rarely is this reviewer unable to watch a film to the very end, but "The Lady Eve" is one where I could only make it to the two-thirds point. The film is supposed to be a screwball comedy and having seen many in this genre, but nothing in this picture made me laugh. Henry Fonda took some pratfalls, but they were not particularly funny. Barbara Stanwyck came of as annoying and obnoxious.

One reviewer writes that "I am a Cuddles Sakal fan, and so his supporting work is greatly appreciated--though it is hard to imagine such a cute cuddly old guy as a con man!" Unfortunately, Sakal is not in the film at all, but Charles Coburn is. The reviewer must be confusing Coburn with Sakal. He also writes "This film and HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO are my favorite Presto Sturgis movies." Again, the writer/director is Preston Sturges.

Having watched this film when it first came out on DVD in 2014, it seemed fairly good to me. Viewing it a second time tonight was a big disappointment as it was not quite as good as I remembered it to be. Kristen Bell is an excellent actress, but the screenplay did not seem to be up to "Veronica Mars" standards even though it was written by series creator Rob Thomas and frequent collaborator Diane Ruggiero. The three seasons of the series are very good, but the film pales in comparison.

Some reviews on this site claim one can watch the film without watching the television series and not be missing anything, but how can this be true? One review goes so far so far as to claim that the film is "very much like a B-mystery series-such as Charlie Chan or the Falcon---and with many of the same old clichés that were common in the 1930s and 40s. Now this is NOT meant as a criticism-more of a comment about the style of the plot." This is complete nonsense and shows the ignorance of the reviewer.