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mountainkath
Reviews
Oppenheimer (2023)
Horrific
I'm a history geek and a science geek and looked forward to watching this movie.
I made it through 1 hour and 15 minutes before turning it off.
The movie was so clearly Oscar bait (which worked!) and so poorly made.
I don't need profound moments punctuated by a loud bomb noise. I stopped counting the 4th time that was done.
Matt Damon was horribly cast. When his character started yelling at someone I actually laughed. And don't get me started on that 'stache that evidently was supposed to signal he was a serious, important character.
Maybe I'm spoiled by my love of classic (pre 1965) movies. Most classic movies don't try to wow the viewer with special effects and loud noises. They just tell quality stories.
This story could be made into a compelling and excellent movie. It's too bad that it wasn't and that so many were taken in by the smoke and mirrors.
Myrna Loy: So Nice to Come Home to (1990)
Utterly disappointing
I watched this documentary to learn more about Myrna Loy because I did not know a lot about her.
After watching this I still don't know a lot about her.
This documentary is almost entirely about her professional life. There are a few personal details and photos at the very beginning but after that only her professional life is discussed.
I enjoyed seeing all of the Loy clips but nothing substantive was ever addressed.
Also, Kathleen Turner is a slightly annoying narrator/host. And her hair was very distracting. It was always changing and was a bit much.
I gave this 5 stars because I love Myrna Loy and there are a lot of clips in this documentary. If (like me) you're looking for a peek at the woman behind the movie star take a pass on this one.
Yes, My Darling Daughter (1939)
Yes, it's dated, but also quite funny
Yes, this movie is dated and yes, it has plot holes and ridiculous moments. But that doesn't matter. When I watch this movie I just go along with it and enjoy each moment.
May Robson, as always, is a delight. She is one of my very favorite supporting actresses and she does not disappoint here. Her funniest moments in this movie aren't even spoken...they are her reactions to all that is going on around her.
Priscilla Lane played the role of a sweet, innocent girl very well. (Random side note: at times her voice reminds me of Ginger Rogers.) The character of Ellen was a tad annoying at times (come on, what do you think Doug wanted to do in that cabin) but for the most part I enjoyed Ellen.
The character of Doug was not well developed at all. I suspect that was intentional since the focus of this movie was on the relationships between the women. I would have liked to see a bit more to Doug, though. All we really know about him is that he's going to Belgium to sell razors.
I did enjoy the side plot of the previous relationship between Ann and Jay. The character of Jay seemed out of place at times, but Roland Young was his usual marvelous self.
Yes, My Darling Daughter is a thoroughly entertaining movie. The subject manner is dated, but the movie kept my attention and even made me laugh out loud more than once.
Greta Garbo: The Temptress and the Clown (1985)
Tedious and plodding
Wow. This documentary was only two hours long, but it felt much longer.
I think the main issue was the uninspired narration. I don't need a flashy voice over for my documentaries, but I do enjoy a narrator who doesn't sound bored out her mind.
I appreciated all of the early footage of Garbo from before she came to America. I had seen some of it before, but a lot of it was new to me.
Once the focus of the documentary turned to Garbo's life in America, I felt the pace slowed down even more. Many of the film clips shown were much too long. Instead of demonstrating a particular point that the narration made, many of them just seemed to be filler.
While this documentary had its good points, for the most part it is much too long and much too dull.
Hollywood: The Dream Factory (1972)
A disappointment
This documentary started out promising (showing the auction of items intermingled with when they appeared on film), but quickly went downhill.
I am a classic movie buff and had seen nearly all the footage here before, but that's not the problem.
The documentary just seemed to have a lot of filler, especially near the end. Film clips at times seemed random and much too long.
Don't waste your time on documentary. There are much better ones out there.
IMDb requires 10 lines in a review. I can't even think of enough things to say about this documentary. Yes, it was this bad. I only gave it five stars for the auction footage and the footage of the MGM 25th anniversary lunch.
The Big Parade of Comedy (1964)
A fantastic cure for insomnia.
Wow. This collection of clips was disjointed, not funny at all and edited extremely poorly.
Carole Lombard was only shown in one brief clip. She was an extremely talented comedienne and this film did not do her justice at all.
The Jean Harlow clips shown were adequate and they did show one of her funniest scenes (with Marie Dressler in Dinner At Eight).
Cary Grant was shown only briefly. The man was much funnier than the clips led us to believe.
I could go on and on, but my point would remain the same: don't waste your time on this movie. Not only is it poorly made, it is also insanely boring.
Operator 13 (1934)
A total clunker
I can't believe this movie was only 85 minutes long. It felt much longer.
My dislike of this film is not due to the racist stereotypes or Marion Davies in black-face. I disliked this film because it's just not a good movie.
While the story is an interesting concept, the movie did not pull it off at all. The whole film feels very disjointed and poorly put together.
I usually like Davies, but I could see her acting (and over acting) in Operator 13. She is not convincing as a northern spy.
Gary Cooper did a good job with the material that he was given. He was completely underutilized in this film but that is understandable: this movie was a Marion Davies movie. If Cooper had been given a better part he would have easily overshadowed her.
Operator 13 really tried to be a good movie. It cast good actors as the leads, the costumes were fabulous and the battle scenes were well done. Nothing though, could save the movie from a horrible script.
Strange Interlude (1932)
Absolutely bizarre and melodramatic, but I really enjoyed it.
I still can't believe I liked this movie as much as I did. It was odd, over the top and at times over acted, but I really enjoyed this movie.
Norma Shearer is the one guilty of over acting at times (especially in her last monologue) but that only added to the bizarre nature of this movie. I always enjoy watching Shearer and this movie was no exception. She was a great beauty and talent and it's a shame she's not more well known today.
Clark Gable gave a solid performance and that spark of greatness to come was definitely evident in this movie. His character's thoughts weren't spoken as often as the other characters, but I think that just enhanced the character of Dr. Darrell. He was a slightly mysterious man (are we to believe he just stayed in the shadow of Sam and Nina's marriage for all of those decades?) and Gable played him perfectly.
While melodramatic, the last scene of the movie really sold the whole film. As I watched Nina be embraced by Charlie it struck me how she was now alone, except for him. I immediately flashed back to the earlier scene where she was with Charlie, Sam and Ned (with Baby Gordon upstairs) and was thinking about how they were all her men. Now, all of them had left her except for Charlie. It was a lovely (yet melodramatic) end to this odd little movie.
Once Upon a Time (1944)
Excruciating
I was going to rate this film four stars but I gave it five stars because it was only 90 minutes long. That's about the only good thing I have to say about it.
Cary Grant must have owed someone a favor because I have no idea why he made this horrible movie. The plot was beyond silly, it was insanely predictable and the movie seemed to go on forever.
Cary Grant, as always, sold the hell out of his performance as Jerry Flynn. He was the only reason I kept watching this movie. If anyone else had been the star, I would have turned the movie off.
This story would probably have made a cute short film (15 minutes or less), but there was just not enough plot to fill 90 minutes.
I'm a huge fan of Cary Grant, so I'm glad I saw this movie. However, I don't care to ever watch it again.
Clark Gable: Tall, Dark and Handsome (1996)
A thorough look at the King of Hollywood
I'm a huge fan of Clark Gable and the only other documentary I've seen about him was simply awful. I'm happy to say that this documentary was much, much better.
There are a lot of clips in this program, but there's also a lot of information about him. I actually learned something new (that he and Grace Kelly had a fling) and saw some footage that I'd never seen before.
I especially enjoyed the interviews with Gable's children. Neither of them knew him and their sense of loss is heartbreaking. I can't say that I 'enjoyed' the footage of Gable's funeral, but I had never seen it before so I found it interesting. One of the most striking things I learned in this documentary is that Gable's widow had him buried next to Carole Lombard. Wow. Now that's an understanding woman.
Is this the definitive story of Clark Gable? No.
However, this documentary is very well done and it tells both the good and the-not-so-good about him. There are also a lot of film clips (from both his well known and not so well known roles) to satisfy both the Gable fan and those who are just beginning to know him.
An Evening with Gene Kelly (1974)
Adequate, but I wanted more.
I'm a HUGE Gene Kelly fan and had high hopes for this show. Sadly, I was disappointed.
While the high points of Kelly's career were hit (Singin' In The Rain, An American In Paris, On The Town, Anchors Aweigh), I was hoping to hear him talk about his lesser known movies like It's Always Fair Weather, Brigadoon and Cover Girl.
I did enjoy this interview with him and was hoping for more of Kelly talking and less footage of the movies. It was nice to see the knee slide in On The Town after he had talked about the trouble he had filming it. But, did we really need to see the entire Singin' In The Rain number? I would have loved to have heard him talk about the Moses Supposes number with Donald O'Connor in Singin' and also about The Babbit and The Bromide dance with Fred Astaire in Ziegfeld Follies. The dance on roller skates (from It's Always Fair Weather) was also missing.
I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. This is a great show for people who are new to Kelly and his work. For his more knowledgeable fans this is an interview worth watching (I especially enjoyed hearing him talk about his early days before he went to Hollywood), but don't expect too much.
Three Wise Girls (1931)
Completely enjoyable.
Is Three Wise Girls a high point of spectacular American cinema? No, but that's not was I was expecting. I was expecting an entertaining movie and that's exactly what I got.
I'm a huge Jean Harlow fan and was so excited to see a new (to me) movie of hers. I was not disappointed. While I don't think she sparkled on screen like she did in her later films, she gave a solid and completely believable performance.
The plot was predictable, but well executed. I thought the character development was a bit thin, but that's to be expected from a movie that clocks in at just over one hour. (I actually love the short running times of some classic movies: that means you can watch more of them in an evening.)
Three Wise Girls tells a story that's been told many times (small town girl moves to the city and has a rough time), but it tells the story well. And, most importantly, it tells the story with Jean Harlow.
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year (2009)
Disappointing
I was expecting so much more from this profile of Hollywood's greatest year. I was very disappointed that this look at 1939 was so thin and so poorly done.
I expected a lot of time to be spent on The Wizard of Oz and Gone With The Wind. I didn't expect this time to be at the expense of other '39 movies. This documentary of 1939 barely glossed over Idiot's Delight (Clark Gable's only appearance singing and dancing) and totally ignored The Little Princess, Bachelor Mother, Stanley and Livingstone, and Intermezzo: A Love Story (just to name a few).
I was particularly disappointed that they left out Intermezzo because this would have provided a perfect time to contrast Leslie Howard with his role in Gone With The Wind (he was much too old to play Ashley Wilkes and I feel that showed in his performance, but he was wonderful in Intermezzo). The exclusion of Intermezzo is all the more puzzling because it was the first American film appearance of Ingrid Bergman. How can the debut of such a star be overlooked?
Even the attention given to Gone With The Wind is weak. No mention is made of Hattie McDaniel's historic Oscar win (except for a one second moment of footage at the awards).
The core audience for this film would have to be newcomers to classic movies. Any fan of classic movies will not learn anything new and will be horribly distracted by all of the omissions.
The 70th anniversary of Hollywood's greatest year deserves better.
Wife vs. Secretary (1936)
What a treat
Quite simply: I love this movie.
Clark Gable, Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow give wonderful performances as participants in a love triangle that never really gets off the ground. That's actually one of my favorite things about this movie (the fact that Whitey and Van never become romantically involved). It's easy to see that there is an attraction there, but I think the fact that they never become involved makes this a better movie.
It would have been so easy to write this as the stereotypical man-has-affair-with-secretary movie and to make the character of Whitey the stereotypical man hunting secretary. It was especially refreshing to see Jean Harlow play such an understated and intelligent role. The character of Whitey also has a heart and this is shown perfectly when she tells Linda to go back to Van or she (Whitey) won't turn him away when he turns to her.
Gable played the role of Van perfectly. It's obvious that Van is head over heels in love with his wife yet (most notably in the Havana motel room scene) you can also see that he's fighting an attraction to Whitey. I don't think that attraction to Whitey would ever have won out over his devotion to Linda, but it was obvious he would turn to Whitey when Linda filed for divorce.
Myrna Loy gave a solid (if one note) performance as Linda. (That's not her fault, though, it's how the character was written.) I'm not sure how it could have been done, but this movie would have been even better if Loy had been given even better material.
The costumes and set decorations in this movie were top notch. Both Loy and Harlow wore stunning costumes that were always appropriate to their character (Loy the wife of a wealthy businessman and Harlow the lower class secretary). The apartment of Van and Linda was impeccably furnished and I especially loved the touch of having windows by the upper portion of the curved staircase.
On a completely shallow note, the party scene where Gable dances with both Loy and Harlow is my favorite scene in the movie. He's so smooth, so effortless and so dashing on the dance floor. I was definitely born a generation too late.
It's a Big Country: An American Anthology (1951)
Great idea...poor execution
I wanted to like this film. I really did. But, I could not. The premise was a great idea, but it was poorly executed. The only reason I kept watching was because of the amazing superstar cast.
My favorite stories were the first one with the gentlemen on the train discussing America and the Gary Cooper segment where he was talking about Texas. Both of these segments held my attention and I thought they were very well done. Sadly, this was not the case for the rest of the film.
I enjoyed the Nancy Davis plot about the boy needing glasses, but it went on a bit too long and seemed to get quite bogged down. I'm a huge Gene Kelly fan and wanted to enjoy his segment more than I did. However, I couldn't help being totally distracted that he and Janet Leigh decided to marry after knowing each other just a few minutes. I know this is a common plot to classic movies, but it still distracted me. Another distraction was Kelly romancing a woman much younger than him but again...this was a common theme in classic movies (and Kelly movies).
I enjoyed Ethel Barrymore's segment solely because of Barrymore. The plot was so thin and dragged on much too long.
I'm glad I watched this movie (seeing so many stars over the course of just 90 minutes was a real treat), but I doubt I'll ever watch it again.
Joan Crawford: Always the Star (1996)
A fascinating look at the career of a legend
This profile of Joan Crawford's career is in depth and told by people that knew her. The public has been given a story that Crawford was, to put it bluntly, a total witch. The people interviewed for this program tell a different story.
Crawford's pre-Hollywood life is given a quick once over (that's all that's really needed) and the program really gets going once young Lucille LeSueur arrives in Hollywood.
Footage is used of her earliest screen appearances with emphasis on her song and dance number from The Hollywood Revue of 1929 and her many pictures with Clark Gable. One of my favorite features of this program is that Joan's actual voice is used during many segments. It's one thing to hear what she thought of the King of Hollywood and quite another to hear her say the words!
This documentary takes us through Crawford's Hollywood career and hits high points like The Women, Mildred Pierce and What Ever Happened To Baby Jane. Along the way we learn little snippets about her personal life (children and marriages). The portrait of the women is fleshed out by co-stars, costumers, directors and biographers.
Fans of Crawford will likely know most of the information in this program, but it's still a treat to hear for those who knew her and from Crawford herself.
I did learn two significant things from this program:
1. Crawford took in Franchot Tone (her third ex-husband) at the end of his life.
2. Crawford's daughter Cindy completely disputes her sister Christina's allegations about their mother.
I knew that people in Crawford's circle of friends did not believe the Mommie Dearest stories, but this was the first time I heard of another one of Crawford's children disagreeing with the contents of the book.
We will never know for sure if Christina's allegations are true, false, or somewhere in between. After hearing the memories of people featured in this documentary I suspect Crawford was not nearly the holy terror that we have been led to believe.
One Sunday Afternoon (1933)
A charming little movie.
I had never heard of this movie (or the subsequent remakes), but I've been on a Gary Cooper kick lately so I watched this movie. I am so glad that I did.
The movie starts out a bit slow, but after 20 minutes or so it picks up and becomes quite entertaining. Other reviewers have covered the plot in detail, so I won't repeat them. My favorite parts of this film were the performances.
First, there's Gary Cooper (the whole reason that I watched the movie) giving an understated performance. Cooper is entirely believable as a man indifferent about his wife and pining for another woman. The moment when he realizes that Virginia is not the person he imagined her to be is powerful. The change of emotion is written all over his face. The next scene where he talks with his wife is very sweet and romantic. We (the viewer) can tell that he is seeing his wife with new eyes and (for the first time) appreciating her.
Roscoe Karns is one of my favorite character actors (he was Shapely in It Happened One Night)and he was his usual delightful self in this movie. His best scene was the one where Biff was gassing Hugo.
The delightful surprise in this movie is Frances Fuller. I have no idea why this woman was not a huge star. Her performance drew me in and I couldn't take my eyes off of her when she was on the screen (quite a feat when sharing the screen with Gary Cooper!). While her character of Amy was a bit lackluster, Fuller managed to inject life into her and make her likable.
One Sunday Afternoon is not what I would call great cinema, but it is a lovely and enjoyable movie. You might say it's the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon...
Chuck Jones: Memories of Childhood (2009)
An utterly charming portrait of the man
Even though I grew up watching the cartoons that Mr. Jones created, I knew nothing about him. This short documentary gave a brief, yet rich summary of Mr. Jones' life.
I absolutely loved how animation was used to illustrate Mr. Jones' words. I also enjoyed seeing him draw some of his most famous characters.
The short stories he told about the key figures in his life (mother, father, uncle) were powerful and it was easy to see how they influenced him throughout his life. I also enjoyed hearing how the name "Acme" came to be used in the Looney Tunes cartoons (I've always wondered about that!).
I often find these kinds of documentaries dry and they nearly always run too long. I wish one had been longer! Mr. Jones was a charming man and he had a way of telling stories that was just enchanting.
Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941)
An enchanting voyage through one woman's life
I'm usually not a fan of overly sentimental movies, but I absolutely loved Cheers For Miss Bishop.
After viewing this movie I am shocked that Martha Scott is not remembered today. Her performance in this movie was just superb. She effortlessly moved from portraying Ella as a naive young teacher to a seasoned old timer.
Yes, this movie had its problems (most notably was Amy conveniently dying in childbirth and no one seemed to care), but I'm willing to overlook those faults.
I was totally caught up in this movie and in Ella's life. Her relationship with Sam was so tender and sweet. And even though I saw the ending coming a mile away, I was in tears when Ella arrived at the banquet and realized that it was for her.
I do have to quibble with a fellow reviewer's comments that this film was trying to evoke Casablanca. This movie was released in 1941. Casablanca was released in 1942. Please, if one is going to make such criticisms of movies, it's much more effective to have one's facts straight.
Blind Date (1934)
An odd, but enjoyable little movie.
This was a strange movie, but I did enjoy it. My Tivo billed it as a comedy, but there were some quite dramatic elements, too. (Most notably, the car falling on Bill.) I thought I had this movie figured out (Kitty would do the right thing and marry Bill and then realize that he was really the one she loved all along).
I really liked the twists thrown in at the end. (Bob buying Bill's shop to give Bill and Kitty money and then Bill being a jerk in order to reveal Kitty's true feelings.) However, all of it kind of fell flat for me. Ann Sothern didn't have chemistry with either of her leading men. I just couldn't believe that she would date (let alone consider marrying) either one of them.
One reason I love classic movies is seeing the fashion and cars of days gone by. Blind Date did not disappoint in this regard. Sothern's dresses were all quite stunning, although a bit fancy for a working girl (specifically the dresses worn before she met Bob).
While I enjoyed this movie, it would have been much better with some chemistry between the leading lady and her leading men. The script and supporting actors were solid, it was just the leading roles that could have been better cast.
MGM: When the Lion Roars (1992)
An absolute joy.
Part One.
I have heard the story of how MGM began, but never in such rich detail. This film dove into the daily inter-workings of the studio in the early days and I found it fascinating. I especially enjoyed the insight of Margaret Booth, a film editor at MGM, and specifically her recollection at Douglas Shearer's attention to detail (he could tell when a film was one projection pin out of sync with the sound).
This part of the film uses a lot of footage from silent movies and gives background detail on these films. My knowledge of silent films is poor, so I learned a lot in just a few minutes of watching this documentary. I also enjoyed how they talked about the struggle for silent stars to transition to talkies.
I had (of course) heard the story of John Gilbert's star falling like a lead balloon, but I never heard the juicy reasons why: he punched LB Mayer when Greta Garbo left him (Gilbert) at the altar and Mayer returned the favor a few years later during a disagreement over a movie.
When Part One ended I was struck most by a feeling of "what if?". What if Irving Thalberg hadn't died at just 37? Where would he have taken MGM and what kind of movies would he have given us? I also wonder what Norma Shearer performances we missed out on due to his death (she left Hollywood six years after he died).
Part Two.
I felt that Part Two wasn't quite up to the standard set by part one. Most notably, part two includes a Hollywood myth that has been debunked: that Jean Harlow died because her mother refused to allow her treatment for uremic poisoning. The fact is that Harlow would have died regardless of when she saw a doctor due to the limitations of medicine in the 1930's.
Part Two also details the rising stars of Clark Gable (and his subsequent tragedy when his wife Carole Lombard was killed in a plane crash), Lana Turner, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Judy Garland and Hedy Lamarr. As with Part One, I loved the interviews with people from that era and how they enhanced the story. Mickey Rooney's recollections of Garland were particularly touching.
Another highlight of Part Two was the small segment on Luise Rainer. I had never heard of her, but she is the first person to win back to back Oscars. And then she walked away from it all due to the constraints of the studio system. Just hearing this story would have been wonderful, but having it told by Rainer herself brings this film to a whole new level.
Part Two ends with a sense of foreboding (brought on by the narrator, Patrick Stewart): Storm clouds are swirling off in the distance. Could the happy days at MGM be coming to an end?
Part Three.
Part Three begins in the heyday of MGM's legendary musicals and they cover the best of the best in detail: Singin' In The Rain, An American In Paris and Gigi. There are numerous interviews with Vincente Minnelli and he talks about his movies and about Judy Garland. As with all of the interviews in this film, I love hearing his insights and opinion.
Part Three seemed to contain more interviews than the other two parts of this movie. (I have no idea if this is true, it was just my impression.) Besides recalling specific movies, many of the interviewees talked about Louis B. Mayer. These opinions confirmed what I already suspected: people either loved or hated the man; he was either a wonderful father figure or an evil manipulator.
After the musical era, MGM began its slow decline. I knew the rough facts of how and why this happened, but I had never heard the gory details. As a lover of classic movies, I found the last hour or so of this film to be very melancholy. The golden age of Hollywood had to end, but it was still sad to watch it unfold on the screen.
Summary.
The absolute highlight of this movie was all of the interviews. Besides actors, we hear from directors, producers, writers, film editors, studio executives and contract dancers. These are the people who were there during the golden era of MGM and having their remembrances on film is truly priceless.
I almost didn't watch MGM: When The Lion Roars because it's six hours long and I doubted that anything could hold my attention for that long. I am so glad I took the time to watch all three parts of this movie. It was well worth it. Not only did I learn a lot, but it was very entertaining. I saw clips from many of my favorite movies and the clips from movies I haven't seen left me with a list of movies that I want to see.
Bottom line: if you love classic movies, this is a must see.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Simply perfection.
The Philadelphia Story is, quite simply, perfection. From the cast to the set to the script, I can't think of anything that could be improved on this movie.
For me, the magic of this movie is the performances of the three leads. Katharine Hepburn takes the line "Good golly, why didn't you sell tickets?" and layers it with so much emotion and meaning. Jimmy Stewart's drunken scene with Cary Grant is one of the funniest moments ever put on film. When Stewart warbles "CK Dexter Haaaaaaven!" I just have to laugh (mostly because I know what's coming after that line). Cary Grant's facial expressions are at times very subtle, but they convey most of the emotion of his character.
The supporting performances in this film are just as outstanding as the lead performances. Ruth Hussey, in particular, is brilliant. Her timing and delivery of her lines is one of the funniest parts of The Philadelphia Story. The first couple of times that I saw this movie I was so focused on the leads that I missed a lot of the meaning behind what Hussey said. Once I picked up on each word of her dialogue, the movie was taken to a whole new level.
The first time I saw The Philadelphia Story I didn't know how it was going to end (I can usually see the ending of a movie coming from a mile away). If I think too hard about it, I would have a quibble with how it did end (Tracy goes from being engaged to Kittridge to making out with Mike to marrying CK Dexter in a matter of hours), but I don't waste time doing that. I just sit back and enjoy watching three of the biggest Hollywood legends in history work their magic.
Show People (1928)
An absolute delight
I'm a huge classic film buff, but am just getting in to silent movies. A lot of silent films don't hold my attention, but Show People is a notable exception.
Marion Davies and William Haines are simply wonderful in this picture. Davies, in particular, shows a wide range as she morphs from a giggly small town girl to a starlet who takes herself a bit too seriously.
Show People is a fast paced film with a fantastic array of cameos by some of the biggest stars of the silent era. The movie captured my attention immediately and I actually forgot that it was a silent film. (I know that doesn't make much sense, but that's what happened.) The actors are so skilled in their craft that few dialogue cards are necessary.
Show People is a perfect introduction to silent films. It is a fast paced, interesting film with two of the silent era's best stars. Add in the satire of Hollywood and Show People should be on the 'must see' list for all classic film buffs.
Hold Your Man (1933)
Harlow and Gable at their best.
Jean Harlow and Clark Gable were a great on screen team and this may be their best movie together.
Yes, Hold Your Man can be cheesy and predictable, but that's not what I love about the movie. I love seeing Harlow and Gable together and in this film they are simply wonderful. It is obvious that they really enjoyed working together and that is part of what makes this such a wonderful film.
The witty dialogue, great script and attention to detail are the other things that make this such a good movie. I loved this movie the first time I saw it and on each subsequent viewing I always notice at least one new detail. To me, that is a mark of a great film.
The dialogue and script are better than most movies from this time period (early 30's). I adore classic movies, but I admit that most of them are just average and at times don't hold my interest. Hold Your Man is one of the exceptions.
This has a lot to do with the fact that Hold Your Man is a 'pre-code' movie. (The Hays code was not enforced until a year after Hold Your Man.) This movie could not have been made under the code. Well, it could have been made, but it would have been an entirely different story. Thank goodness the code was not enforced until 1934. Otherwise, we would have missed out on this gem.
Twentieth Century (1934)
A master at work
As far as comedies go, this film isn't anything special. What is special is John Barrymore. As many other reviewers have noted, his performance in Twentieth Century is just brilliant.
There were some parts of this film that weren't that interesting to me, but I was transfixed by Barrymore. Yes, his performance as Oscar Jaffe is over the top, but that's precisely the point.
Carole Lombard doesn't quite keep up with Barrymore (who can?), but her performance is also excellent. She may not keep up with the master, but she's certainly not overshadowed.
While I thought the storyline of this movie was pretty run of the mill, it was the performances by Barrymore and Lombard that make it something special. Fans of classic movies should see this movie simply to see John Barrymore at his best.