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Topper Returns (1941)
Disappointing
There's a fair amount of acting talent here, but the writing is so lazy that it goes unused.
The plot points are consistently weak.
The sight gags are okay, if predictable.
The dialogue is not believable: the characters often say things that don't fit their character. Worse, it's not even slightly clever, even if you recognize the contemporary pop culture references (which I think I mostly got).
Billie Burke, Patsy Kelly, the doctor, the housekeeper, the taxi driver, and the police detective all have nothing but cliches to work with.
Rochester, Roland Young, and Joan Blondell do creditable jobs, given the script, but it's not enough to save the movie.
Carole Landis, also stuck with cliches, does okay (but reading about her life made me sad).
All in all, it feels like the writer(s) dashed off something and the director just wanted to get the film in the can and move on.
Stage Fright (1950)
Alistair Sim is the main attraction here
And Michael Wilding and Marlene Dietrech are quite good as well, both convincingly portraying their characters.
I kind of agree with Eddie Muller of TCM's Noir Alley that (my words) Wyman is uninspiring here, and I definitely agree that Todd is boring. Fortunately, he's not on screen much.
It's a serviceable plot, well shot, and Dietrech and Wilding keep the movie alive.
But for me, the best parts were definitely when Alistair Sim's character was on screen.
(I recommend skipping over Dietrech's song: it fits her rôle, but it's not an interesting song, musically or lyrically, and her singing doesn't redeem it.)
The Big Steal (1949)
Pretty decent flick with great views of 1940s México
Greer and Mitchum are very good in this, convincingly portraying their initial distrust of each other, as well as gradually developing a relationship.
(So many (bad) movies just take it for granted that the two main characters _must_ be attracted to each other without ever giving the audience a reason to believe.)
I've seen this movie referred to as _film noir,_ but for me, it lacks the sense of dread, of inevitable doom: it's a crime drama/romance - not sure which is the backstory here.
Plus, it's mostly brightly lit, including many scenes in daylight 😄.
The pace is fairly fast, the plot plausible, and the car chases well-shot (nice to see Greer driving one of them).
The fistfights don't measure up to the post-Bruce Lee era, but they also don't imply superhuman or supernatural abilities or endurance.
The rural scenery in (¿Puebla?) México, and the urban scenes in Tehuacán are beautiful, even in black and white.
The portrayal of México and Mexicans is a couple notches above standard fare: generally positive - even about the police - without condescension. And the accents and Spanish dialogue of the bit players seem fairly authentic to me (gringo, hispanohablante).
One Got Fat (1963)
As everyone else has said, the film is ... odd
I should begin by saying all the bicycle safety advice is perfectly reasonable and not overwrought.
But, within the fictional world of the film, it's certainly strange to see the kids carry on with their picnic trip as their friends drop like flies - one per block - ending up hospitalized (or worse?).
Edward Everett Horton is of course best remembered for the Fractured Fairy Tales of the Rocky & Bullwinkle, from around the same time as this movie.
But he had a solid career as a straight man in some of the better comedies of the 1930s
Anyway, Horton's narration is the best thing about this film, but it's worth seeing for the weirdness, as others have said.
Look for it on TCM, as one of their unannounced "TCM extras" between feature films.
The Bishop Murder Case (1929)
Starts off weirdly stilted, but does pick up later.
The first 20-30 minutes or so have lots of odd pauses, as if they were waiting for cues or something. Poor direction or editing might be contributing, I suppose.
After that, it does pick up the pace a bit, and becomes watchable, if your standards aren't too high.
Basil Rathbone plays know-it-all detective Philo Vance essentially the same way he later played Sherlock Holmes, so if you like that, you'll enjoy this.
And there's no Watson to belittle, though the D. A. does follow Vance around like an assistant, to the point that the Roland Young character refers to them as Holmes and Watson.
The character actors are fairly interesting, and the solution to the mystery is not immediately obvious.
And, surprisingly, the sound is pretty good for 1929.
I've Got Your Number (1934)
Interesting for the gender dynamics of the 1930s
Pat O'Brien's character is the purported hero or at least the nominal protagonist, but in today's terms a grade A jerk/nuisance/stalker.
Yet we're supposed to believe that Joan Blondell's character falls for him, for no apparent reason.
This is routine for romantic comedies of the 1930s, and, though it's always fun to watch Blondell & Eugene Pallette, there's nothing special about this film.
(I mean "gender dynamics" in terms of what Hollywood writers, directors, and producers thought would go over well with their studios' target audience. Of course, nowadays, we'd call it by its name: sexual harassment.)
Back in Circulation (1937)
The scenes between Blondell and Lindsay are the best
The negatives: much of the movie is predictable, and, for me, the Pat O'Brien character - hard-boiled newspaper editor - is just _too_ cliched. His character has no depth, and there's nothing to indicate why Blondell's character would fall for him.
The positives: it's really a Blondell movie, and the scenes between her and Margaret Lindsay are my favorite: not quite as predictable, and both actors convinced me their characters had feelings (Lindsay's more restrained, fittingly).
Blondell carries the movie, but I also found Litel's acting made his character interesting, and I enjoyed seeing Ben Weldon playing a likeable character for once.
The Phynx (1970)
One of the worst movies ever filmed
Booker and Foster were apparently aiming for an audience of emotionally stunted 12 year-old boys, but still managed to insult the intelligence of their audience.
Broad farces never age well, but this collection of tired cliches was old when it was written.
Spoiler alert - its two jokes are:
1. Stereotypes. Just mentioning them.
2. Every adult character is stupid. Inconsistently and unrelated to the plot.
The only bright spots are tiny cameos by people like Dick Clark, Richard Pryor, and Ed Sullivan, but these are insufficient to make up for the utter lack of originality, the uniformly dull acting (apart from those 5 second cameos), the dialog that never sounds natural.
I guess you could say I didn't like it.
The Crowd (1928)
It's really quite a good melodrama
Not schmaltzy, and - especially considering it was made before the 1929 stock market crash - it seems fairly realistic. And it was shot on location (NYC), so there's that.
The two principal actors are quite good.
I have a hard time believing Eleanor Boardman is not related to Jody Foster, but I couldn't find any connection with a bit of Googling.
The office scenes - huge floors of people doing extremely repetitive work (bookkeeping) and being treated like drones - are the kind that long ago I thought were exaggerated for effect, but I've now seen similar scenes in several movies, and this movie is not given to exaggeration, so I suspect these are reasonably true to life.
Love Is a Headache (1938)
Worth watching only for Gladys George
Despite her being in several notable movies - see her IMDb bio - I was unaware of Gladys George until seeing this movie. She is convincing in the role, and gives this movie what little charm it has.
But, as a whole, the film is a bit tired.
Viewers are given no hint of a reason to believe that the two leads love each other, except that they are the leads in a romance.
Franchot Tone plays a character ("Peter Lawrence") I've seen him play a few times: arrogant, manipulative, and vindictive, yet for some reason the Carlotta Lee character is supposed to want to spend the rest of her life with him.
The other actors - Healy, Rooney, Jenks, and Weidler in particular - make a valiant effort, but their characters barely qualify as two dimensional, and the plot is contrived.
In short, it will pass the time, but there's nothing besides George that makes this worth seeking out.
Pillow to Post (1945)
Has Louis Armstrong & Dorothy Dandridge, but only a diehard Ida Lupino like me will like this
It's not exactly bad, if you don't count the Black porter character ("Lucille") whose role is very well-played (by Willie Best) but still an unpalatable symptom of the times.
On the positive side:
The one-song performance by Louis Armstrong and Dorothy Dandridge is wonderful to see & hear.
The plot is a run-of-the-mill mix of mild deception, mistaken identity and social mores that are probably - I hope - overplayed, but it works if you don't think about it too hard.
Of course, Lupino is great, as are Greenstreet and Donnelly, though Lupino's character does seem too prone to crying for this 21st century viewer.
Johnny Mitchell, the actor playing the oil well operator, is good, given the limited role.
But William Prince, the romantic lead, leaves me cold. His character isn't an awful person, as so many male romantic leads of the era were, but he's no great catch, either.
The Leopard Man (1943)
More interesting, better acted than expected
My expectations for a movie named "The Leopard Man" were low, but I still think this was well above average for a B movie.
The horror film tropes are done with care, and even the small parts like the girl going to the grocery store are done with some unpredictability and even style.
The supporting cast - playing Charlie How-Come, Consuela, Clo-Clo, and the fortune teller - bring some authenticity to the story. I'd guess that's due in part to the director giving the actors opportunity to flesh out the parts.
If you don't expect actual New Mexico scenery, explicit horror scenes, or complete surprises, this can be an entertaining little movie.
Stranger on the Third Floor (1940)
Unusual film: some noir, some romance - worth a look.
It's not really a Peter Lorre movie, though he's fine in it. (Same for Elisha Cook, Jr., too.)
And it has elements common to many romance films of the late 30s and early 40s: an attractive young couple with money worries, the breakfast counter scenes, and an event that unexpectedly derails their plans.
But the internal monologues, some of the sets, the starkly low/realistic expectations of the justice system, and the nightmares definitely belong to film noir.
Somewhat unusually, the strongest character is clearly the young woman, though there's little that hints at that early in the movie.
And Margaret Tallichet and John McGuire play their roles well.
In short, though some parts are regular fare, there's enough distinctive here to merit a look from fans of film noir, and fans of 30s&40s romances.
Beauty for the Asking (1939)
A gem - a pleasantly different romance
It starts like a formulaic 30s romance, but the female leads (Ball, Inescort, Courtney) play surprisingly savvy - though definitely fallible - women.
The male leads play their roles quite well, Patrick Knowles especially, but it's Ball and Inescort, and their relationship, that really stand out and make this movie well worth watching.
Even the beauty salon theme feels more honest and better thought-out than what you'd expect from a Depression-era rags-to-riches tale. Ball's character even emphasizes that good health is the key to beauty.
FWIW, I watched this (thank you, TCM) with someone who almost never has patience for old films, and she was hooked after about 20 minutes.
Paradox Lost (2021)
It's fairly good, but it's absolutely not a comedy
I can't imagine who put the "comedy" label on this: there are a few amusing touches, but overall it's a drama with sci-fi roots.
The characters are well-acted - especially the three leads (also the improv leader and others).
The Barnaby character (played by Danny Cymbal) is irritating but that's exactly right for the story.
Similarly, I was initially underwhelmed by the Copper character but gradually realized he was played quite well (by Dennis Curlett).
Rose is a more sympathetic character and thus easier to appreciate, but there is some great subtlety in how Clarissa Thibeaux portrays her.
Oh, and the story, while not mind bending, is above average for time travel flicks, and doesn't get mired in mechanics or explanations.
And - as someone who gets irritated by background music fairly easily - I want to add that here it qas perfectly tuned to the film, such that I rarely even noticed it (this is meant as a high compliment).
C'era una volta (1967)
Strange movie, worth watching for Sophia Loren
It has a mix of witchcraft and some Catholic-pagan magic, for comedic effect... and I guess a MacGuffin.
The theme music is perhaps the worst thing about the film - unbearable schmaltz.
It's interesting to watch Sophia Loren, as usual, but there's absolutely no clue given why her character would fall in love with Omar Sharif 's character, who is abusive when he's not being manipulative.
I know: times change. 500 years ago, she'd not have many choices, but *audiences* even 55 years ago would appreciate being thrown a bone: some tender moment or one spark of good in Sharif's character would lend some credibility.
I guess the YouTube "Pitch Meeting" channel has put it best: they're in love because they're the romantic leads - IOW, so the movie can happen.
And Dolores del Rio's talent was wasted here.
Rendezvous (1935)
I'd give it a 7 if not for Russell's irritating character
It's not her fault - she plays the character as written.
But it's written as a pathologically dim-witted and selfish oaf, whose presence - rather than providing comic relief - merely jars.
It's lazy screenwriting of the misogynist flavor, and so insistent that it's impossible to overlook.
Powell gets some dumb dialogue too, but not in the same ballpark. And he gets or gives many good scenes as well.
The Heiress (1949)
I'm surprised how much I liked this
It starts out as pretty standard period (1850) drama (filmed 100 years later), and I almost gave up on it.
But Olivia de Havilland's character grows and the movie gets much more interesting.
And in the end you realize you've just seen excellent acting, well directed.
Suva: 'Pride of Fiji' (1940)
Interesting as an example of reflexive racism
Like most of us, James Fitzpatrick was a product of his time, and this is worth seeing as a glimpse into the attitudes in the U.S. (and Britain, I assume) circa 1940.
Try watching this from the viewpoint of a Fijian.
This doesn't mean Fitzgerald was evil: he's just channeling the "accepted wisdom" of the day, in the society he lived in.
The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968)
Good actors, poor plot, awful dialogue
I agree with moonspinner55's review.
It's painful to watch Wagner play a simple pain-in-the-ass, or Cambridge play a bumbler with no good scenes.
Welch is very pretty, but like everyone else here, her one dimensional character adds nothing.
Nobody here has an interesting character, nor is there any humor evident in the first 50 minutes (after which I stopped).
I enjoy wacky caper comedies, but though this movie tries to be one, it never comes close.
If you spend two hours on this, you're spending more time on it than the writers did.
A Little Romance (1979)
This is a sweet movie, but not overly so
A bit of a coming-of-age movie, a bit of buddy movie, a bit of caper movie.
Convincing portrayals of unusual 13 year olds by the young actors carries the day.
Diane Lane is marvelous even at this age, and her friend (played by Ashby Semple) isn't given a lot to work with, but really does a great job portraying an awkward 13yo.
Olivier is a pleasure, as well.
Kellerman has the least sympathetic character, but plays her well.
Arthur Hill is in his wheelhouse here, as the empathetic stepfather.
The plot isn't much, but it keeps moving and it's played straight -- not played for laughs nor milked for pathos (well, maybe a tiny bit).
The views of Verona and Venice and Paris in the 1970s make for enjoyable viewing throughout. Definitely view on a big screen if you can.
Undercurrent (1946)
Well-crafted noir/suspense film; Hepburn surprised me
I like Hepburn reasonably well, but actually didn't expect much of her in this genre.
I was wrong. She and Taylor give quite credible performances; Mitchum is of course excellent in his role.
The suspense is decent, and, though it's not noir throughout, it does have several very noir passages, contrasting effectively with other scenes.
It's that contrast or rather the transitions that Hepburn and Taylor pull off so well. (And of course the director, Vincent Minnelli, deserves some of the credit for that.)
I also want to call out the great acting in small but pivotal roles by Jayne Meadows (as Sylvia Burton), Leigh Whipper (as George), and Clinton Sundberg (as Mr. Warmsley).
---
You'll note some gender role stereotypes of the time, but they're not really major elements of the story, and, at least for this male, didn't detract from the story (though we did roll our eyes a few times).
There are a couple Black roles, one a faithful servant (George), one an addled old man who serves only to give a scare. The latter was ... well, my least favorite part, though well acted. George, however, is a fairly complex and important character, and is treated with the respect due a household employee, and, though there's no social message in that, at least it wasn't cringe-inducing ... to this white guy.
2036 Origin Unknown (2018)
An homage a 2001 and Contact and...
...maybe Interstellar. But that, and Katie Sackhoff's presence, are about the only positives.
The story is muddled, and the ideas... well, they want to be big ideas, but their presentation makes them small & forgettable.
The character of Arti is simply too precious, and that of Mack too adolescent. The dialogue is clunky. The computer graphics are too repetitive (I suspect due to budget limitations, but still).
Other than that, it's fine.
The Perils of Pauline (1947)
Betty Hutton is very watchable
... especially early, when she gets to be the very animated Betty Hutton version of Pearl White - which seems to be fairly true-to-life.
When it switches to being a romantic tear-jerker, with a tiresome male love-interest, it loses its momentum.
But it's easily worth watching the first half to see Hutton performing.
Pearl White's real life would make for a fascinating biopic, by the way.
The Window (1949)
Well-crafted suspense/noir from a kid's point of view
The gritty realism, the palpable fear, the totally credible attitudes of the adults are very convincing.
Also the scenes of late 1940s New York, abandoned tenements and all, are excellent for the mood.
Truly fine acting by set of underappreciated actors, too - including tragic Bobby Driscoll in the lead role.