Reviews

With the dedication of a statue in honor of the late great Ethan Hoyt(Joel McCrea) happening in the city which bears his name, reporters from all over rush to the home of Hannah Sempler(Barbara Stanwyck), rumored to have once been married to him, to get her opinion and answers to all of their questions. But without giving any meaningful responses, she chases them away. However, one young woman(Katharine Stevens) remains, desperately wanting to write a biography about Hoyt. Hannah brusquely tells her to come back in a hundred years when they are both old women but reconsiders, taking pity on her to start her story when she was a young woman in Philadelphia in 1848 when she runs away with Hoyt to avoid being married to Mr. Cadwallader(Lloyd Corrigan). Aided by excellent performances, especially Brian Donlevy in support, "The Great Man's Lady" is a very entertaining and touching tribute to those pioneers who thought big in building this country from the ground up and sacrificed much along the way. While smartly advocating for privacy and the public need not know every detail, the movie takes the Great Man Theory down a notch by commenting blithely that they could not have done it alone, as dreamers always need a partner to ground them to reality in order for them to fully succeed.(It does not hurt if she can handle a hunting rifle, like Hannah can.) And it is not just feminism that puts this movie far ahead of its time, as it is filmed innovatively with a stunning opening sequence that begins with a shot of the house before panning wider to reveal the city that has risen up around it. Sound familiar?

I believe I've seen this movie 3 times. The movie reveals the courage, dedication and commitment our servicemen and women aspire to every day. Their instinctive inner desire to protect their fellow soldiers without regard to their own life safety and life threatening dangers is unsurpassed; and can only be compared to what our law enforcement personnel face each day while protecting us and our families. A truly amazing and inspiring movie.

As an aside, and as a 6 year old boy in the early 1950's, I recall having the opportunity to meet another Medal of Honor recipient, Mr. Desmond Doss, of Hacksaw Ridge fame, in Rising Fawn, GA (my Dad knew him) even though I didn't know what such a "Hero" he was, or what the Metal of Honor represented. Both stories are truly remarkable, particularly given both were Conscientious Objectors. Truly AMAZING.

In 1940, North American-built American Harvard training planes were transferred to the Canadian border, where they were towed across the border for use by Britain. (The procedure is necessary to avoid violating the Neutrality Act, since the United States remains neutral.) Confident American pilot Tim Baker (Tyrone Power) decides to fly over the border to Trenton, Ontario, and ends up in trouble with the military authorities. Unconvincingly claiming he was looking for Trenton, New Jersey. Baker transports a Lockheed Hudson bomber to Britain, pocketing $1,000 for his work.

In London, he runs into his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Carol Brown (Betty Grable), who works in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force by day and acts in a nightclub by night. She is none too pleased to see him, calling him a "worm" for his womanizing ways, lying, and long absences, but he is convinced that she still has strong feelings for him. He decides to enlist in the Royal Air Force (RAF). Meanwhile, Brown attracts the esteemed attention of two RAF officers, Wing Commander John Morley (John Sutton) and Flying Officer Roger Pilby (Reginald Gardiner). Morley persists in seeing Brown, despite initially being told there is another man. Pilby is unable to convince either Baker or Morley to meet him.

After completing his training, Baker is disappointed to be assigned to Morley's bomber squadron rather than one equipped with fighters. He becomes further disaffected when his first mission is to "bomb" Berlin with propaganda leaflets as Morley's co-pilot during the mock war. Pillby pilots another attack bomber.

When Baker is late for their date (disrupted by meeting an old friend from America), Brown accepts Morley's invitation to spend the weekend at his estate. There, Morley asks her to marry him. When she tells Baker (without revealing who her suitor is), he offers to marry her, but in an insultingly casual way. She tells him they are done. Back at the base, the two rivals learn of each other's involvement with the same woman. However, before they can do anything about it, the Germans invade Holland and Belgium, and they are given an urgent mission to bomb Dortmund, Germany, this time with real lethal means.

During a night raid, their bomber was hit, disabling one of their two engines. Pilby comes to their aid, knocking down the searchlights, but is shot down in flames and killed. Morley orders his crew to escape, but Baker disobeys and lands the aircraft on a Dutch beach. Spotting a column of advancing German soldiers, they hid in a nearby building, only to be captured there by a German officer. A crew member sacrifices himself, allowing the other two to dispatch the German and escape in a speedboat.

Baker wakes up in a British hospital, a victim of exposure. When he is discharged, he goes to see Brown, pretending to have a broken arm, but once again proves to be a liar. Nevertheless, he produces an engagement ring and places it on her finger. After receiving a phone call from Morley interrupting their date, Brown informs Baker that all outings have been cancelled.

Reserves were called up to replace fighter pilot losses, and Baker was transferred to Spitfires for the Battle of Dunkirk. He shot down two Luftwaffe fighters before being shot down. Carol can't hide her distress when she can't find out if he's alive or not. Morley leads her to the docks, where ships returning from the beaches of Dunkirk are bringing back survivors. When Baker disembarks, Carol rushes to him and shows him that she is still wearing his ring.

600 Stars And 100 Stars Equals 700 Stars.

So...I found out that this film exists; for some reason. It's not why the film actually exists that bugs me, because it works well as an educational tool for the general public, and shows us what happens at the Disney animation studios. No, what remains baffling is why they chose to make the film in this way. It could have been a quick documentary, but instead they decided to slap together a mélange of several different shorts, live-action footage, and a weird ending that supposedly remains the eponymous start to the film. It's just an odd kind of gem that Disney can still look to now that their projects are becoming less innocent over time. The film starts with radio personality Robert Benchley and his wife discussing a book their nephew wrote, which she wants to be made into an animated short. Benchley doesn't want to, but is forced into taking a meeting with Walt Disney himself. While being rallied around the studio by a Nazi youth looking assistant, Benchley slips away and explores the studio himself. We get to see different frames being put together to make a film, much like a flip book, sound effects for a short about a train Called Casey Junior, the coloring for another with Daffy Duck, (which includes voice actor Clarence Nash in all his splendor) and another short with Goofy. Benchley is always in wonder when he sees something new, and though most of the technology is dumbed down for the audience, and the environment is definitely more family friendly than in reality, it was nice to see these forties' staples onscreen. The ending contains the short, which was made while Benchley was supposedly wandering around the studio for forty minutes. The short itself is horrible. The dragon is an effeminate stereotype of a fop, who doesn't want to fight, yet pretends to with a knight so the knight can seem powerful, and all the villagers will think the dragon is tamed. Nothing entertaining about it, and the insensitivity exhibited by Disney yet again was not appreciated. Otherwise it's a cute little movie about the wonders of animation, which even kids nowadays can watch with a sense of wonder.

A visual treat - a continually beautiful moving-photograph. And, despite some comments, this is not noir in my thinking. It is closer to early Hitchcock (e.g. The Lady Vanishes). The last scene with two protagonists talking to each other from inside and outside a cave is somewhat surreal, unintentionally (?) comic but still loveable in a Plato-nic way. Joan Bennett's cockney accent needed some work (no Meryl Streep) and Walter Pidgeon's lack of a Brit accent jars but his duds and George Sanders' convincing German make up for it. And love that the Germans speak German instead of Sid Caesar English with a German accent. A real pleasure that I can't believe I missed for so many years. Made with an exceptional eye and not to be missed.

As an old movie buff, I loved the youth of the actors, before they "grew" into their movie careers. Lana Turner was great when she was younger, before she became a slick Hollywood star. The script gave her wonderful crisp, sharp, sensitive dialog. Judy Garland was ,of course, great. Refreshing to see her so young, full of energy, before the drugs and alcohol. Hedy Lamarr was gorgeous, and using limited dialog, helped her role. Lastly, the Zeigfeld scenes were very impressive...and beautifully directed.

James Stewart as Gilbert Young Judy Garland as Susan Gallagher Hedy Lamarr as Sandra Kolter Lana Turner as Sheila Regan Tony Martin as Frank Merton Jackie Cooper as Jerry Regan Ian Hunter as Geoffrey Collis Charles Winninger as "Pop" Gallagher Edward Everett Horton as Noble Sage Philip Dorn as Franz Kolter Paul Kelly as John Slayton Eve Arden as Patsy Dixon Dan Dailey as Jimmy Walters Al Shean as Al Fay Holden as Mrs Regan.

This film has such a powerful, challenging and visually arresting subject, it is a pity that it wasn't made in colour. Fox wanted it in colour and also hoped to film it in Wales, but the onset of World War II put paid to both. Nevertheless, there are some memorable and challenging black and whites scenes which show the beauty of a green Welsh valley being gradually transformed by dust, rock and slag through the development of a coal mine.

It is interesting that it was made in 1941, just a year after another film set in a coal mining community, The Stars Look Down, based on the novel by A J Cronin. The latter meets the dirt, danger and passions of coal mining communities head on, compared to which How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn is comparatively gentle.

Although How Green Was My Valley recognises the rough and sometimes brutal environment of coal mining, most of the violence centres on the school days of the youngest member of a mining family, the Morgans.

Young Huw is tormented by both the pupils and teacher at the school because he comes from the coal pits. As a result of a fight with a wretched little snob he is mercilessly caned by the teacher - who has clearly been influenced by public school sadism. But the local community views fighting as part of being a man, and his father and older brothers make sure he copes with it.

Young Huw, played by Roddy McDowell, narrates the story - which traces the history of the Morgan family. The strict but kindly father, Gwilym Morgan, ( Donald Crisp), rules the family with a rod of iron. His uncompromising attitudes cause the older brothers in the family to rebel and leave home - which is beautifully kept by their mother Beth (Sara Algood) and sister Angharad (Maureen O'Hara), who falls in love with a new preacher at the local church, Mr Gruffyd (Walter Pidgeon).

Their happy family life is disrupted when the miners' wages are reduced and a strike ensues, causing dissent, bitterness and violence. At the same time, Angharad marries the stiff and supercilious son of the mine owner, despite being in love with the preacher.

The resulting scandal reveals the bigotry and hypocrisy amongst the deacons at the local church and powerful scenes follow as Mr Gruffyd is denounced by the self righteous church deacons. He ultimately leaves the valley.

Although he is bright and wins a scholarship to University, Huw elects to 'go to the colliery', much to his father's disappointment. Like other movies set in coal mining communities - notably The Stars Look Down and Zola's Germinal - there is a mining disaster in How Green Was My Valley, causing the death of Mr Morgan. Huw joins the rescuers and he is able to exchange a few last words with his father before his lifeless body is lifted to the surface.

The scenes down the mine - damp, dirty and dismal - are well done. They convey very effectively the hell in which so many miners worked. The soundtrack includes many poignant sequences by a male voice choir - a wonderful tradition which reflects both the dignity and tragedy of the Welsh mining valleys.

It is a sad but beautiful movie which embraces a wide spectrum of human behaviour and emotions, good and bad - including frustration, intolerance, religious bigotry, resilience in the face of broken dreams, unconditional love, family loyalty, constructive values, perseverance and respect for others.

The title character is Dumbo, the nickname given to Jumbo Jr. He is an elephant who has huge ears and is able to use them to fly, carrying what he thinks of as a magic feather. Like Dopey in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Gideon in Pinocchio, and Tootles in Peter Pan, Dumbo does not have a word of spoken dialogue.

Edward Brophy as Timothy Q. Mouse, an anthropomorphic mouse who becomes the only friend of Dumbo, along with the crows, after his mother is locked up and does his best to make Dumbo happy again. He teaches Dumbo how to become the "ninth wonder of the universe", and the only flying elephant in the world. He is never mentioned by name in the film, but his signature can be read on the contract in a newspaper photograph at the finale.

Verna Felton as Elephant Matriarch, the well-meaning but pompous leader of the elephants who is initially cold toward Dumbo. Felton also voices Mrs. Jumbo, Dumbo's mother, who speaks only once in the film to give Dumbo's name.

Cliff Edwards as Dandy Crow (previously named Jim Crow on the original model sheets), the leader of a group of crows. Though he initially jokes and ridicules Timothy's idea that Dumbo can fly, he hears Dumbo's tragic history and becomes determined to help Dumbo fly for real. He is never mentioned by name in the film.

Herman Bing as The Ringmaster, who, though not truly evil, is a strict, greedy, and arrogant man who exploits workers and animals. The Ringmaster later appears as an outright villain in the video game Disney's Villains' Revenge.

Margaret Wright as Casey Junior, the sentient 2-4-0 tender locomotive hauling the circus train.

Sterling Holloway as Mr. Stork The Hall Johnson Choir as Crow Chorus James Baskett as Fats Crow Nick Stewart as Specks Crow Hall Johnson as Deacon Crow Jim Carmichael as Dopey Crow The King's Men as Roustabout Chorus Noreen Gammill as Elephant Catty Dorothy Scott as Elephant Giddy Sarah Selby as Elephant Prissy Malcolm Hutton as Skinny Billy Bletcher as Clown John McLeish as the narrator.

Rating: 10/10 Director: Orson Welles Score: Bernard Herrmann Cinematography: Gregg Toland Citizen Kane is a masterpiece. From the extraordinary cinematography to the outstanding acting, Citizen Kane has gone down in history as the most influential film ever made.

To begin I want to discuss how absolutely beautiful this film is. Every single shot is taken with care and each of them is complex and interesting in its own way. The story behind the cinematography is quite astonishing: Orson Welles being new to the film industry gave full artistic control of the cinematography to Gregg Toland who was already a veteran filmmaker. I also felt that the set designers did a wonderful job of working with Toland to insure a perfect scene. There is never a scene, save for the one at the end which is inside of a warehouse, where the screen and shot feel cluttered. In every shot, you know exactly what to look for and it's amazing.

Secondly, the score, while very pretty, isn't very memorable. I don't mind this at times because I really enjoy the film's quieter moments. While on the topic of sound, I think the sound design is also particularly great. There are a couple of scenes, including Kane writing the review, where everything is quiet and there is a very small, but remarkably noticeable sound.

Finally, the acting and story. The acting in this film is some of the best I've ever seen. Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ray Collins, and Everett Sloane absolutely kill it. Ray Collins stood out to me because he literally has like five or so minutes on screen, but he really does an amazing job. Orson Welles does great as well. He really sells Charlie Kane as a character. I also thought that his voice acting was particularly good. The story is a story of politics and an overbearing love for one's self. The story follows Jerry Thompson as he tries to piece together the life and affairs of Charlie Kane so that he might solve the mystery of "Rosebud," which is Kane's dying words. It is an outstanding story and I found it incredibly interesting. I also really loved the ending, it was fantastic.

Overall, an outstanding film. If you're hesitant about watching it because it's old and black & white, please do yourself a favor and watch it.

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Humphrey Bogart invents a forgotten personality-trait that once was lauded in the American landscape. In this film, Bogart single-handedly invents C-O-O-L !!!!! ( Atleast for a film-leading man.) Ronald Coleman, is a kind of dapper-fore-runner of "Cool," in "The Prisoner of Zenda." ( also, co-starring Mary Astor. ) Clark Gable encompasses an early Depression-era glamorous, "Cool" in," Hold your man." But, Bogie puts the lid on the jar with his performance here. ( Of course, he would enhance, & immortalize the trait in , "Casablanca, " & "The Big Sleep." This movie introduces, "Gunsels," "Fat-men." "Fall-guy's," "Mrs. O' Shaunessey's" sacred ancient artifacts with obscure biblical ties being the film's Mcguffin. Murray Alper as the taxi, & or truck-driver street-guy assistant.

John Huston's seismic screen-play. "If they hang you, I'll always remember you." " I'll have some rotten nights when I send you over, but I'll get over it." "The stuff that dreams are made of" BAAMM !!!!! This film has one of my all-time favorite movie dialogues. Immaculately delivered by this top-flight cast. I can nearly just light some cigarettes, & lean back, & just listen to this film without the visuals. The way America used to receive their entertainment, back in the days before Television.

You're in the Army Now is a special piece of nostalgia and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch two comedies together.

Besides Edgar Kennedy, no one was more passionate about movies than Donald MacBride. His face is beautiful, and his reactions to Durante and Silvers are sometimes funnier than the two actors.

Durante's and Silvers' styles clash and for good reason Abbott&Costello try to work on two comedies. Second, Silvers was a different defeat for him. However, they do have some fun stuff and the climax involving MacBride's house is really scary.

The plot of the film involves an old cavalry colonel, Donald MacBride, who refuses to convert to a mechanized army at the distress of Jane Wyman's daughter and her lover, Regis Toomey. . Similarly, some soldiers are slow to adapt to changes.

Released on Christmas Day 1941, You're in the Army Now is a great opportunity to see comedy giants Jimmy Durante and Phil Silvers working together in a four-part Warner Brothers effort. Valued the success of Universal and Abbott&Costello. In Buck Privates. Even some of Durante and Silvers' routines are straight out of the A&C playbook.

Upon reading a reader 's heart felt review I just had to comment on it,though not as well. The Classic Movies and I have many and are deprived of so many others,like this persons uncle I being old,with a lazy boy and yes these movies are my life also. How happy I would be if I had a nephew who introduced me to a new one ( so much gratitude to the amazing Mr Steven Spielberg for " rescuing " so many classics,he could not save all as the acid used on the film had eaten hundreds away,if not thousands this dear man started the ball rolling,has given us what could have been lost to all forever GOD BLESS him). I cannot berate this movie even had I wanted to point being I watched the classics since childhood ( they made it bearable) with my mother who died many years ago and others whom are deceased now,next my turn and a new generation need to know the wonderful experience they shall receive in carrying on this legacy again,then again,you see unlike us these movies ,with your love of them,your handing down of this love is our way of preserving them and the memories so many hold,a variety of skilled writing,actors,set decorations,directors endless a different world,a special world full of romance,western's,musicals,expertise and understanding,I know you will keep them alive and " pass" them on.

Penny Serenade made in 1941 and pairing together Cary Grant and Irene Dunne is a tear jerker-Grants performance in the judges office earned him Academy Award Nomination and it's some of his best dramatic ever!- award went to James Stewart-Direction George Stevens,this movie broke a few no-no's of the time. Edgar Buchanan( Apple jack) and Beulah Bondi( Miss Oliver) show us why their talents were put to use time and time again perfect,just perfect. Must go before I get thrown off stage,need to add the answer to much queried " Why the name of this movie?" At the start when Julie is playing a record and Roger comes along,it ends up their love song,was supposed to be Penny Serenade ,ended up You were mean't for me. Could not find out why,bye,enjoy,get the tissues and love it for what it is. Forgot to mention Irene Dunne claimed this to be the favourite of her movies as she adopted a daughter of her own she later stated that Love Affair was actually her favourite,what a darling!