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Toshi51
Reviews
Satellite in the Sky (1956)
Mid Century Anthropology
For 1956, a remarkable effort and well done. I loved the beginning with the footage of the Avro Vulcan with the patriotic music score. Clearly, the Producers were quite proud of what Britain had achieved. It was a beautiful airplane. The story is about what one would expect during the Cold War, a bomb is involved. The special effects of the spacecraft, while amusing in this day, were likely quite sophisticated for the time. Imaginative and logical. The cast contains the irrepressible Donald Wolfit at his tyrannical best. How I wish he would have survived to make more pictures. Kieron Moore is at his patriotic best. Alongside Richard Todd, Britain is lucky to have men like these at their disposal in service. Donald Wolf is his usual affable self. Women, of course, are kept to their station. The requisite Spitfire in the person of Lois Maxwell, provides a welcome relief to the marital problems of the crew. The movie is of interest as an Anthropological study of mid-century Britain. Their tools, manners and mores.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
A Tale for Its Time
I saw this movie on a B&W TV in the early 1960s and was delighted to see it again as an adult. While my childhood impressions of this romantic tale remain intact, I am now mostly impressed by the context of this movie soon after a long and difficult war. It is a warm and touching story of love transcending death. Surely a relevant notion for the time. I am not suggesting any of this was intentional. Art following events and emotions of the time? I wonder.
Rex Harrison reprising much of his character from "Night Train to Munich", the self superior and cynical lover, casting his grand personality over the ever pure Gene Tierney.
In a way an early and oddly Feminist tale. Here is an independent woman of strength and determination making her way in the world of publishing. Betrayed by the falseness of a suitor, she remains true to herself and her small family including Martha.
Seeing this movie 40 some years later it remains as true and good as ever.