Reviews

Miss Grant Takes Richmond is an OK comedy starring Lucille Ball as a somewhat dizzy secretary who is hired by Mr. Richmond, a bookie using a phony real estate business as a front. Lucy, of course, doesn't know this, and she believes that he will build low-cost homes for her friends. This film is, unfortunately, not very funny. There are a couple of humorous sequences, but overall it should have been funnier. There's also very little slapstick, which is strange considering that Lucy was so adept at it. She and Holden do have some chemistry, though, and the supporting cast is good. A 5 out of 10.

There's a lot of talent here: James Cagney (terrific as usual, singing and dancing, and quite adept at comedy), Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Virginia Mayo, and a pre-Gilligan's Island Alan Hale Jr. The problem is that the film isn't terribly involving. A lot of comedy could've been mined from the situation with Cagney, a down-on-his-luck Broadway director, having to become a cadet at West Point. Unfortunately, the creators of the film decided to not give this much thought. In fact, there aren't enough laughs in the movie. The songs are, for the most part, unspectacular, except for "The Military Polka". All in all, somewhat disappointing, especially considering the cast. A 5 out of 10.

The Lady is Willing is a disappointing film. It stars Marlene Dietrich as an actress who finds an abandoned baby and decides to take him home. She soon discovers, however, that she can't adopt the baby because she's not married. So she enters into a marriage of convenience with baby doctor Fred MacMurray. Predictable complications then ensue, but this is a comedy without any big laughs. But, the stars are watchable and quite good, considering the material. Dietrich, surprisingly, had a flair for light comedy. All in all, a 4 out of 10.

Boys Town contains an Oscar-winning performance by Spencer Tracy as Father Flanagan, founder of Boys Town. His work holds up quite well today, but I found the rest of the film lacking somewhat. Rather than tell a detailed story of how Boys Town came to be, the film focuses rather on the story of one boy, played by Mickey Rooney, who turns out to be Father Flanagan's toughest charge. The main problem with the film is just that; it reveals very little of what Father Flanagan went through to establish Boys Town. The film does manage to hold your interest, though, and the acting is good. My score: 5

A Day at the Races was made after A Night at the Opera, and it isn't as good a film. It also pales in comparison with earlier Marx Brothers films like Duck Soup and Horse Feathers. Nevertheless, it is still a very entertaining picture, with some very funny sequences. The scene with Chico selling Groucho the race tips must rank as one of the group's best. All in all, well worth seeing if you are a fan of the Marx Brothers or a comedy fan in general.

California Dreams is a show similar to Saved by the Bell, but it is superior. It's generally funnier, and overall the cast is better. The show doesn't seem to be running anywhere at the present time, so it might be hard to spot. I don't understand why the cast hasn't moved on to bigger and better things.

As a fan of Star Trek, it is hard to dislike this film. But also as a fan of Star Trek, it is hard to give this film a 10 rating. First of all, there is way too much special effects footage, most of which is drawn out and boring. Secondly, unlike the following three films, there isn't much emphasis placed on character interaction and development, which, for my money, is the reason Classic Star Trek has endured for so long. I mean, the series has many now dated elements, along with terrible, dated special effects. But it is the characters that we love, and they are the reason that we watch them over and over again. The creators of this film, on the other hand, seem to have neglected this aspect of Star Trek, for the most part. So, ultimately, Star Trek-The Motion Picture isn't a bad film (and it's a masterpiece compared to Star Trek 5), but it's not the best of the series. Check out 2 and 3 instead, and see how good Star Trek can be.

A funny film, with Bogart in top form as a gangster who uncovers a group of Fifth Columnists in New York City while trying to clear his name from a murder rap. This film also features a great supporting cast, with William Demarest shining as Bogart's crony Sunshine. It could've been funnier, but it is still very entertaining.