Reviews

This film had enough budget to have some good actors, almost accurate uniforms, good lighting, cinematographer and story outline...... but there are clearly serious problems with this production: Underwhelming CGI, careless authenticity, wooden direction and the music score which tries too hard to sound like a cross between "The Great Escape" and "Star Wars".

The main problem for me is the dialog. EVERYONE in this film speaks in sentences that are way too lengthy. I can almost forgive the words that are way too modern for 1945, but it seems like everything is over-explained in this film, yet the characters very little. They are also monotone in their delivery with horrid accents. This gives the production an almost robotic and lifeless feel and we end up not caring about what happens to any of the characters. The "Pink Hulk" is so lumbering and clumsy, I am not sure why he is a menace to more than a couple of soldiers at a time.

Finally, I really like Corin Nemic as an actor, but he was directed to be more of a Bruce Willis type of "Die Hard" hero in this film and it just doesn't work for him. He neither has the stature or the presence to pull it off. He ends up looking tense, angry and overwhelmed.

The show reminds me of some of the spontaneous episodes on Carol Burnett and the Dean Martin Show where the cast can't help but crack. Though the episode gets off to a pedestrian start with Lucy taking the lead, Berles comedic genius takes off mid-way and he shows why he was such a legendary comic in earlier years. He is just plain funny being himself in awkward situations. Much like comic Jack Benny, Berle's deadpan approach is priceless and should be studied by comedians today. The show also features beautiful Ruta Lee, who was a household name during the 1960s, when this was filmed. Ruta was in dozens of television show episodes, including "Gunsmoke", "Twilight Zone", "Wild Wild West", "Mannix" and countless more. Her role as "The Other Woman" is not meant to be convincing, but rather overly-dramatic and provides the perfect "straight role" to Berles talents. Mrs. Berle is just having a great time in this romp and it's clear she is just along for the ride. The laughs are real on this one and I was cracking up myself. A real slice of what television comedy was like in 1967 and the genius of Berle! Highly recommended.

I am a Van Damme fan... and own a number of his films on DVD. The original Universal Soldier is great, as is Time Cop and so many others. This film is a bona fide TURKEY. It's dreadful! The sets are great. The cinematography is first rate. The music is good and I find no fault with the special effects.... BUT... the story is absolutely lame.... AND this is some of the WORST direction I have ever seen in a major film... the action is totally pointless and the female newscaster character is so distasteful, stupid and wooden, I was hoping Goldberg would terminate her at the earliest opportunity. I would have been happy if Claude had just turned around and punched her out. At least that would have been authentic. Honestly, the direction is what really destroyed this film. NO ONE has emotion in this bomb... everyone walks through their parts. This could only be enjoyable if you were a stuntman in training and wanted to see the basic moves stunt men make... over and over and over again. Oh, Goldberg looks great, but he just can't act to save his life.. of course, his character is rather robotic, so I don't fault him. Don't bother with this one. I did not see the whole film... just the first 45 minutes or so and decided (along with my other 2 action film fan friends) that we really didn't care what happened to the characters... so we shut it off and watched "True Lies" once again. The DVD I bought of this film will be my newest coaster.

I was raised without a father, so for me, starting around 1953 until my mom married my stepfather in 1960, it was Sheriff John who was my boyhood hero and role model. He had strength of character and had a reassuring voice, but he was also very gentle and I felt he really cared about us kids. In those days, television was live and he would show your photo and announce your name on the air. He knew when it was your birthday and he knew your friends. Though "low tech" by todays standards and the cartoons were in black and white, Sheriff John remains in my memories as the strong, gentle man who I wanted to grow up to be like more than anyone else. A great man.

This film should be on anyones list who studies the films of Hollywood, Film Noir or the films of Stanwyck. She is amazing in the part. Yeah, by todays standards the film may be a bit "over the top" in terms of acting style and perhaps it is "stagey"... but it's a real classic. This is when Hollywood was bigger than life, with more passion, more colorful characters and first rate quotes that are in abundance. Today everyone wears their heart on their sleeve and spill their personal lives to anyone willing to listen. In 1952, these scandals and skeletons remained in the closet and were seldom spoken about in polite society. This film was as racy as could for it's time. Marilyn is great as the "dumb blonde", but her character is NOT naive.. she is a passionate girl in love with an abusive boyfriend... and she knows it and is grateful to have him. The rest of the cast is superb and the roles are meaty and the result is satisfying! Wow.

This short is amusing fluff for the most part, but it's real interest lies in the fact that it shows the Palm Springs California Rodeo, circa 1940, which is no longer an annual event. It was called "the rodeo of the stars" in it's heyday.

The rodeo was staged in the south end of town near the Smoke Tree area, which was near Walt Disneys ranch. Today it is a shopping center.

The film also shows some scenes of the festive parade on Palm Canyon Drive where many stars were seen in cowboy finery.

The El Mirador Hotel is seen in one shot, which was converted into a hospital and is preserved today as part of the Desert Regional Hospital.

Historically, this film is a gem.

Although a biography about any composer is a rare gift, even if it's largely fictionalized, this film suffers from some of the most exaggerated over-acting caught on film by an actor.. and that is Paul Muni as Prof. Joseph Elsner. His character is almost embarrassing. It seems as though he was directed to play it to be "comic relief" to Cornel Wilde's "Chopin", which is beautifully performed ... but he comes off more as a buffoon and a caricature than a believable person.

The film is saved by Wilde, Nina Foch, Merle Oberon, and a fantastic performance by Stephen Bekassy as Franz Lizst. The piano playing by Jose Iturbi is superb, as expected. The stunning costumes and magnificent set designs, not to mention the cinematography executed in glorious Technicolor make it fun to watch, but what had the potential to be a masterpiece is cut short by the direction and Muni's performance, which seems to be more suited to the Vaudeville stage than to the big screen.

This is a marvelous cast. Cinematography is excellent. The music is fine. The art direction is there.... HOWEVER.... this film is just not funny. I cringed at the insulting humor, the forced, broad slapstick and the film seemed very "full of itself".

The script is stale, the direction is a "walk through" and Steve Martin's French accent is an insult to anyone who speaks the language. Peter Sellers' accent and delivery was light, breezy, effortless, charming. Steve sounds like he is mocking the accent, Peter, and France itself, and like every nearly every movie he has made, he is terribly predictable. He always looks the same....same haircut, same pratfalls, same delivery, same light gray suit, same expressions... we've seen it all before ... for the past 20 years... and it never seems to change or develop. Remove the mustache and ridiculous accent and this could be any of a dozen of his other films right down to the lack of costume design. Steve is just too self-absorbed as the Inspector to be funny. He is forcing the humor and trying too hard to be funny. Real comedy is timing, spontaneity and sensitivity... this has none of it.

The film is mildly amusing in parts, but you will catch those moments in any trailer. There are no surprises here. For long stretches it drags on and on and I decided to walk out after 1 hour and 20 minutes of tedium. Simply dreadful.

After "Now Voyager" this is my favorite film of Davis. If you see the short subject on this film, the director said Davis loved a challenge and she took on the role of the "too pretty" Fanny Trellis because she felt she could "pull it off"... and in my humble opinion, she did that very well indeed. Some say she had a "pretentious" and "irritating" character, it is indeed the character of Fanny Trellis who is both pretentious and irritating. That is built into the character herself. I had a relative who behaved just as she did in this film. Davis especially reminded me of this aunt of mine when she visits Mr. Skeffington in his office when war is declared. She was artificially fragile, overly made-up, and oh too charming. Davis was brilliant in her portrayal of Fanny as the spoiled, fussy, prissy young woman who the "men" really go after.... but unlike today where most men are after physical attributes, it is Fanny's charm and her apparent wealth they are also attracted to. In reality, her character has none of these things.... it is an illusion, just as her life is an illusion. I think she did a marvelous job in a demanding and difficult role. The film also has one of the most remarkable music scores on film. Every scene is perfectly synchronized by Franz Waxman's magnificent score.

This film is a grand melodrama about a very talented young woman who is a musician. She has lost her love during World War 2 (and there were many women who could relate to that scenario at the time of the film's release in 1946).

The film is set in the world of classical music and the concert hall. It's eccentrics, it's frustrated musicians, it's protégé's. yet above it all, the love, passion and respect these people have for their art. Unfortunately, it's a world rarely touched in cinema, and this film is one of the most entertaining and dramatic ones made on that theme.

With an absolutely magnificent score by legendary composer of "real" classical music "Erich Wolfgang Korngold", we are also treated to a haunting, brilliant and difficult-to-play cello concerto composed especially for this film and "played" in the film by Paul Henreid's character. According to a good friend of mine, who plays the cello in a symphony orchestra, the "fingering" movements on the instrument achieved by Paul Henreid are convincing and appear logical. He does a brilliant job in a difficult part. The concerto itself is so well-written, it has become a favorite of cellists in concert halls to this day.

Be aware that although Davis normally "steals" the show in her films, this one clearly allows the heights of Claude Rains' talent to rein supreme. He plays the controlling and egocentric composer/conductor "Hollenius". It appears his character is based on the composer "Richard Wagner" who is said to have been both genius yet utterly arrogant at the same time. Rains is marvelous to watch in nearly every scene he appears in.

I recommend this film as a stand-out to any classic film buff, but I think those interested in classical music, Claude Rains as an actor, and those who enjoy the magnificent music of Korngold will be especially fascinated and entertained.

I watched this show with great interest and quickly got hooked by this family who was actually intelligent and did not find quick and easy solutions to their problems. They were educated, upper class, and had respect for each other. Fine writing, beautiful sets and creative humor was the highlight. Of course it would not hold up on commercial television, it was far too interesting and well written, but I do hope the studio will release all 6 episodes on DVD. This series would surely find an audience with today's more sophisticated viewers. How times have changed and today we openly talk about the subjects this show brought up. It's time has come!

It's one very funny comedy.... totally unbelievable, totally goofy, but in the mid-1960s style, our Doris comes through as delightful and obviously had fun making this film. Paul Lynde is at his best as the security guard in drag. Don't try to rate this with "The Party" (1969) or "The Cheap Detective" (1980)... but it is a light, very funny and romantic romp just the same. I give it 8 stars because the songs sung by Doris and Godfrey with his ukulele are absolutely redundant and corny and Doris and Rod Taylor look VERY self conscious trying to look enthusiastic singing with him... and the soundtrack goes way overboard playing the main theme over and over and it becomes rather like "It's a Small World After All" in that it is difficult to get that doggone song out of your head when it's all over .... but there is much to enjoy with this film. The film would have done better with a more intelligent music score and better songs to take advantage of Doris Day's voice. Godfrey does should not have sung at all... though he was fine as Doris' father. The DVD extras about Catalina and the costumes are very nice, as well.

While my taste runs to a more sophisticated type of film, there is no doubt that sometimes you just want to enjoy an old musical, adventure movie or spy thriller. This film surprised me because it's so doggone fun, yet brilliant in the quality of it's execution.

I admit that it took me a while to see this film because I did not care for the type of character that Will Smith has been known to portray... the half-smile "doesn't take anything seriously" wise-cracking type of buffoon. But since he has matured in body and attitude, he has developed into a different sort and I thought he was perfect for this role. Yes, his language is sprinkled with profanity and ghetto language, but it was just the gritty sort of "real life" manner this otherwise sterile vision needed. Without it, the film might have been antiseptic and unbelievable in scope.

After a few minutes of apprehension, I sat back and completely enjoyed this film. It's a romp, a lark, an adventure, and masterfully executed. If a person thinks this plot is predictable, and therefore unenjoyable, then I say "what about 'Singing in the Rain', '42nd Street', "Stagecoach' and a myriad of other films from our history that we consider to be classics?" In other words, not every film has to be "Citizen Kane" or "Gandhi" to be enjoyable, interesting and entertaining. Good heavens, even doctors, university professors and the heads of government can enjoy the rides at Disneyland! Give me a break.

Will Smith has made some terribly weak films in the past... "Independence Day", "Wild Wild West" and "Made in America"... the type of roles which had his goofy grin saying "look at me, I'm so funny"... and his name in the credits for me was a warning that said "stay away"... but a good friend urged me to see this film, and I am glad I did. In it, he is superb, tender, strong and likable. The special effects are amazing, innovative and convincing, the robot art direction by Oana Bogdan is magnificent, and last but not least, the performance by Bridget Moynahan is marvelous and authentic.

By the way, if you loved Issac Asimov's book, you might not be totally pleased, since most science fiction films taken from books, including this one, vary from the original. But not to worry, this film rocks. I highly recommend it as an engaging and thrilling ride.

This largely forgotten short, which features a very young Sheldon Leonard as a "man of mystery" was recently released on DVD as an additional feature for the film "Operation Tokyo". The package says it is a "wartime short", but that is not true, for "Gem of the Ocean" was made years before the war started. It is surprisingly entertaining, though "dated". What is remarkable are the marvelous art deco sets of the several production numbers. If you like the Busby Berkeley films, you will love this one!

This is clearly an action film, however, it is refreshingly different than anything before it. Without giving away the story, these characters are not children... and the film is not geared towards the teen market as so many action films are. The characters are largely the late 20s and early 30s group, they devise several unique and clever plots to steal gold from Italy and to keep it. They also drive speedy little cars.... not because they are fast, but rather because they can weave in and out of narrow spaces. A feature that is totally unique in "chase films".

The characters are also on the educated and sophisticated side.... and are clearly not "trendy". The score is interesting and does not rely too heavily on rock or rap music, but has a totally new "chill" score that lends itself to the sophistication in the tone of the film. The photography is first rate and the BIG chase scene is miraculously performed in the packed streets of Los Angeles and Hollywood with all the crowds and traffic totally intact. How they did it, is truly beyond me. A nail biter from beginning to end. This is everything "The Fast and the Furious" should have been, but was not. I place this on a par with "Gone in 60 seconds" and "Speed" for action, story and trills.

I first saw this film on television as a kid in the 1960s and loved it. I have seen it many times since, and am now blessed to watch it on DVD in wide screen on an LCD display, and I continue to enjoy it. Okay, it has some corny lines, and Sophia is just too beautiful... but more than that, this film tells a wonderful story of broken promises, hidden agendas, and betrayal from others we believed were above reproach... and there is some terrific character development in the dialog, I feel I know these people. For me, it is one of the most atmospheric films I have come to know. I feel the hot Sahara sun in that Lybian desert, the wind blowing sand in my face, the coolness of the water in the oasis, and the quiet beauty of a desert twilight. This film is haunting to me... and it is one of my very favorites.

It has been quite difficult for truly "intelligent" science fiction to get a large fan base. Films such as "2001: A Space Odyssey", "AI: Artificial Intelligence", "THX 1138", "Solaris" and and TV shows such as "Star Trek" (canceled after a short time in the 1960s) have had difficulty with attracting "thinking" viewers en mass. It seems critical acclaim does not always translate into large fan bases.

"Stargate SG-1", with the original cast of Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks and Christopher Judge, will go down in history as legendary. Intelligent scripts dealing with the human condition, the pointless nature of violence, the primitive status of our culture, our invasion of other nations, our resistance to the control of others and much more has been explored with great sensitivity and grace on this amazing program.

I never saw this show in it's initial release, but recently my partner bought the first 6 seasons on DVD, and since I began watching it, I have been totally involved in this epic adventure. I understand there will be a feature film with the television cast. It will be brilliant, for the show on TV is nothing less.