INHERIT THE WIND

INHERIT THE WIND (1960). Director: Stanley Kramer.

"Fanaticism and ignorance is forever busy, and needs feeding!"

In 1925 John T. Scopes was arrested in Tennessee for teaching the theory of evolution to his students. Clarence Darrow defended him and William Jennings Bryan acted as prosecutor, while H. L. Mencken covered the "monkey" trial for a newspaper. In a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee, which fictionalizes the story, the characters were changed into Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy) for Darrow; Matthew Harrison Brady (Fredric March) for Bryan; Bertram Cates (Dick York) for Scopes; and E. K. Hornbeck (Gene Kelly) of the Baltimore Herald for Mencken. The play and this film version thereof adds a further complication: Scopes/Cates is engaged to the daughter, Rachel (Donna Anderson), of the local preacher (Claude Akins), who is a borderline fanatic. The main strength of this film, besides the exchange of ideas and the notion of casting off narrow minds, is the acting by the two leads, both of whom are superb. March, in particular, possibly gives the best performance of his career, full of nuances, and giving his character enough charm to understand why people like and enjoy him even when they think he's dead wrong. (Florence Eldridge, who was married to March in real life, is also notable as Brady's wife, Sarah. And Gene Kelly is so good as Hornbeck that he proves to be far more than just a song and dance man and a fine dramatic actor. ) 

Fredric March and Spencer Tracy

There is, perhaps, a little too much dramatic license; for instance, it doesn't make sense that Drummond wouldn't ask for a recess after Brady's brutal examination of Rachel. The movie is serious and sickening under the amusement and banter, as timely today -- if not more so -- than it was in 1960. Its weakest moment is the sop to the religionists with Drummond carrying a bible out of the courtroom at the end. Still, it was brave of Kramer and the others to make the film way back in 1960. Leslie Uggams sings "That Old-Time Religion" over the credits.

Verdict: Powerful stuff with two massive lead performances. *** (half a star taken off for that compromised ending).

THE VIRGIN QUEEN

THE VIRGIN QUEEN (1955). Director: Henry Koster.

Ambitious Walter Raleigh (Richard Todd) makes his clever way to the court of Queen Elizabeth (Bette Davis) and becomes one of her favorites. All the while he's hoping she'll give him some ships to sail -- seeking treasure from the New World-- and dallying with a pretty lady-in-waiting and ward of the queen, Beth Throgmorton (Joan Collins). Although he is not billed above the title with the others, Herbert Marshall, who co-starred with Davis in The Letter, plays Lord Leicester. This is an interesting and entertaining movie, but the central performance is a bit problematic. Davis has her moments, certainly, but sometimes you get the impression that the queen is not being played by Bette Davis, but by Baby Jane Hudson! A definite problem is that Davis, despite the quasi-British accent she always affected, is not English, and she seems to be giving an impression of a queen rather than simply becoming the part. In a word, she's almost awful at times, but not enough to sink the picture. Todd, Marshall, Collins (who actually out-acts Davis) and the other cast members are all terrific.

Verdict: Hardly Bette's finest hour, but not without interest. ***.

THE PHENIX CITY STORY

THE PHENIX CITY STORY (1955). Director: Phil Karlson.

"Where do you want us to send the body?"

Based on a true story, this movie begins with some of the real-life participants being interviewed on camera. No actors' names are presented during the credits so it's a surprise to see such familiar figures pop up as Edward Andrews, Kathryn Grant, and, especially, Richard Kiley. The story has to do with corruption in Phenix City, Alabama, where anyone who disagrees with or tries to fight against the mob boss Tanner (an effective Andrews) winds up beaten up or murdered. Grant works for Tanner in his gambling den, and Kiley is the son of the solid citizen Al Patterson (John McIntire) who decides to run for state D.A. and take on his old friend Tanner. At the beginning of the film, interviewer/announcer Clete Roberts promises some shocking stuff, and even though the film was made 70 years ago, his promise is fulfilled, especially in a scene when a little black girl is horribly murdered. The lead performers are all quite good, and there's also excellent work from Lenka Peterson as Kiley's wife and James Edwards as Zeke, whose daughter is killed. While Phenix City is pretty unknown today, many years later Karlson directed a very popular -- and somewhat similar -- film, Walking Tall. Hard-hitting. 

Verdict: Powerful stuff. ***1/2.

OPERATION BIKINI

OPERATION BIKINI (1963). Director: Anthony Carras.

During the days of WW2 a submarine commanded by Captain Carey (Scott Brady) takes on a host of Marine underwater demolition experts, which in turn is led by Lt. Morgan Hayes (Tab Hunter). The sub is to take this gang to the Bikini atoll, where they are to destroy a submarine sunk by the Japanese. It seems this sub has special radar equipment on it that the allies don't want the Japs to get their hands on. Others on the demolition team include Joseph (Frankie Avalon), Floyd (Gary Crosby), Ed (Jim Backus), and William (Jody McCrea). Michael Dante plays Carey's second-in-command. On Bikini, Hayes and his band team up with certain friendly islanders, including Reiko (Eva Six), who has a brief dalliance with Hayes. 

Eva Six and Tab Hunter

American-International Pictures brought together some Beach Party players such as Avalon and McCrea, dropped in Tab Hunter, and "introduced" Hungarian actress Eva Six, who only made two more movies besides this one. Operation Bikini is pretty cheap and largely dull, although there are occasional spurts of action. Avalon, Hunter and the others turn in decent enough performances. Avalon even sings a song during a dream sequence, and proves not to be a bad singer at all. 

Tab Hunter

In the dream sequence Frankie is torn between his "girl back home," played by Nancy Dusina, and a sexy temptress, played by Judy Lewis. Lewis was the daughter of Loretta Young and Clark Gable. She had 28 credits, including Perry Mason, 77 Sunset Strip and The Secret Storm. The best thing about Operation Bikini is that unlike such films as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea it features a realistic sub and gets across just what it's like to be in a cramped, uncomfortable submarine. 

Verdict: Ultimately, this is pretty much a waste of time. *1/2. 

BEAUTIFUL BUT BROKE

Joan Davis

BEAUTIFUL BUT BROKE (1944). Director: Charles Barton. 

Dottie Duncan (Joan Davis) works for a talent agency run by Waldo Main (John Eldredge). Since war broke out, Main has had trouble putting together bands for clients, so Dottie offers him an all-female orchestra. Waldo winds up giving the agency to Dottie, who puts together a band with the help of friends Sally (Jane Frazee of Hellzapoppin) and Sue (Judy Clark of Junior Prom). Through a series of misadventures, the threesome and the band members wind up in a small town after Dottie loses their train tickets, and they provide entertainment so as to raise cash for a day care. Sally and Sue fall in love, with Army men Bill (John Hubbard) and Jack (Bob Haymes of Blonde from Brooklyn) respectively, so it's a question if Dottie can get them to fulfill their contract in Cleveland. 

Judy Clark swings it!

Beautiful But Broke is amiable nonsense with a patriotic slant and some amusing sequences, such as when the women, thrown out of their hotel, wind up in a house that's on a field being tested for missiles! Joan Davis gives her usual spirited performance, and Frazee and Clark are decorative and have some pep, but are otherwise stuck in a minor key. There is a lot of generally forgettable if snappy swing music. A protracted scene in which Joan, with her foot stuck to a plank, interacts with some construction men and causes more destruction than anything else, seems to go on for half the movie and isn't even funny. 

Verdict: As usual, Davis could use better material. **1/4. 

RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE

RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE (1961). Director: Jose Ferrer.

In this sequel to Peyton Place, Allison MacKenzie (now played by Carol Lynley) goes to New York with her roman a clef manuscript about the town she grew up in, and falls for her handsome married publisher (Jeff Chandler). Her mother Constance is now married to Mike Rossi (these two are now played by Eleanor Parker and Robert Sterling of Topper TV series fame), and while mama is appalled, Mike wants to place the book in the school library. Selena (now played by Tuesday Weld) is mortified that Allison chose to write about her rape and subsequent trial in her novel, and Roberta Carter (Mary Astor) is outraged that the principal wants to put his step-daughter's filthy book in the library where anyone could read it. 

Mary Astor, Brett Halsey, Luciana Paluzzi

Brett Halsey is Roberta's son Ted, who shows up with a new wife (Luciana Paluzzi, who later did Thunderball) in tow. Meanwhile Selena meets a guy named Nils (Gunnar Hellstrom). (They ignore the fact that Selena and Ted were not just friends but were once engaged). The acting is good and there are a few surprises. Although few would argue that Eleanor Parker was a more talented actress than Lana Turner (despite the latter's fine stint in A Life of Her Own), Turner was actually more suitable for the role of Constance Mackenzie (and it doesn't help that Parker is doing one of her "actressy" turns). Brett Halsey comes off better than usual. It's absolutely no surprise, however, that the whole movie is positively stolen by the superb performance of Mary Astor, who gives the entire cast and everyone who sees the film a lesson in sharp and superlative thesping.

Verdict: A pleasant return to old Sin City. ***.

THESE THREE

THESE THREE (1936). Director: William Wyler.

College friends Karen Wright (Merle Oberon) and Martha Dobie (Miriam Hopkins) decide to open a girl's school together. Into their lives comes a handsome doctor, Joe (Joel McCrea), with whom both fall in love. Joe, however, only has eyes for Karen. (A memorable scene has Martha watching him as he sleeps, with the passage of time indicating that she's done this for hours.) This not being a soap opera, Joe and Martha do not get involved and Martha never makes a play for him. Unfortunately, a nasty little girl named Mary (Bonita Granville) implies that the good doctor spent the night in Martha's room, and forces another child (Marcia May Jones) to confirm it. This leads to disastrous complications.

These Three was based on a play by Lillian Hellman called The Children's Hour. It, too, was about the destructiveness of gossip, but the lie was quite different -- that the two women were lovers (It turned out that Martha was a self-hating lesbian). Naturally Hollywood even in the 30's wouldn't tackle such a subject, so it was toned down and changed to alleged pre-marital sex and infidelity. Years later Wyler filmed the play again (as The Children's Hour) with the original story intact. In that version Miriam Hopkins played Martha's Aunt Lily (played by Catherine Doucet in These Three).

Miriam Hopkins and Merle Oberon

Even in its adulterated version These Three is a powerful story, and the film is well directed and very well played by the entire cast. In addition to those already mentioned, Alma Kruger makes an impression as Mary's grandmother, who starts the word-of-mouth campaign against the two women and their school. Margaret Hamilton plays the woman's stern maid, who can see through Mary, and in perhaps the movie's most satisfying scene, gives her a good slap.

Verdict: Superior, thoughtful drama. ***1/2.

THE CHARMER

Nigel Havers and Rosemary Leach

THE CHARMER (1987 PBS mini series). Director: Alan Gibson.

"It's a very hard world if one is without money."

I believe this excellent mini-series was first presented on Masterpiece Theatre in the U.S. It is based on Patrick Hamilton's novel Mr. Stimpson and Mr. Gorse, but takes certain liberties with the story, which may be why the name was changed to the more provocative The Charmer. In pre-WW2 London (the later chapters take place after war has broken out) Ralph Gorse (Nigel Havers), an attractive, likable mountebank, hopes to live like a gentleman even though he unfortunately wasn't born to the class. He befriends, romances, and steals from a variety of women, gaining the enmity of Donald Stimpson (Bernard Hepton), a stolid, small-town stick-in-the-mud who had always hoped to marry one of Ralph's victims, Joan Plumleigh-Bruce (Rosemary Leach). All the while Ralph is pursuing the unconventional upper-class Clarice Mannors (Fiona Fullerton), whom he initially assumes is a hooker when she was really just looking for her brother in a whorehouse (but sleeps with Ralph there anyway). 

Bernard Hepton with Havers

Later Ralph marries a sweet young thing named Pamela (Abigail McKern), and begins an affair with a war widow named Alison (Judy Parfitt). But the stalwart Stimpson is still on his trail. I have not read the novel in quite some time, but if I remember correctly neither Stimpson nor especially Plumleigh-Bruce had as much to do in the second half of the book as they do in the latter chapters of this mini-series, although it's understandable why they were included. This is an absolutely fascinating, darkly humorous (although never "comic") portrait of a borderline sociopath and the people whose lives he crosses (some to their regret; some not) with a psychologically penetrating script by Allan Prior and some superb acting, especially from Havers, Hepton and Leach. The others already named are also top-notch, as are Gillian Raine and George Baker as Pamela's heart-broken parents. This has been released on DVD and is certainly worth tracking down.

Verdict: Nearly six hours well-spent. ****.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS

The cast of Safety in Numbers

SAFETY IN NUMBERS  (1930). Director: Victor Schertzinger.

"My uncle says you're well-acquainted with the 400."

"We are. We know all of the husbands and none of the wives."

20-year-old Bill Reynolds (Charles "Buddy" Rogers) will inherit millions on his next birthday, so his uncle inexplicably sends him to New York to supposedly sow his wild oats, yet hires three chorus girls to look after him and keep him out of trouble and away from predatory females. You would think with a plot like this the movie would at least be some fun, but it's so badly written and paced that it's a real snooze-inducer. The three chorus girls are so amateurish that it's a shock to realize that one of them is actually Carol Lombard, who would of course develop into a talented comedienne and major Hollywood figure -- but you'd never know it from this movie. Geneva Mitchell is slightly saucier in her brief turn as Cleo Carew, who has a hankering for Reynolds. 

Rogers had some charm and aplomb, but the movie is dull and the songs not very memorable. Louse Beavers, playing a maid as usual, sings a number -- but you can miss it. The movie has a total of one laugh and only one interesting sequence, when we see a bunch of chorus girls in silhouette before a screen showing scenes of New York. Reynolds unaccountably  falls in love with Jacqueline (Kathryn Crawford), the plainest of the trio. Josephine Dunn rounds out the threesome and Virginia Bruce has so small a role that if you blink you miss her.

Verdict: Almost unbearably bad. 1/2 *. 

GO WEST YOUNG MAN

GO WEST YOUNG MAN (1936). Director: Henry Hathaway.

"A thrill a day keeps the chill away!"

Film star Mavis Arden (Mae West) is on her way to a rendezvous in Washington D.C. when her limo breaks down and she must spend some time in a small-town boarding house. But there she sets her cap for a handsome gas station owner and inventor, Bud (Randolph Scott). However, things are complicated by the fact that Bud already has a girl, and that Mavis' press agent Morgan (Warren William) is paid to keep her away from men because her contract won't allow her to marry for five years. Then there are the other assorted townspeople and boarders and their varying reactions to Mavis. 

Randolph Scott and Mae West

Well, this sure sound like it would make a hilarious movie, and while it's cute and easy to take for the most part, it certainly isn't a classic. Sort of given an actual role to play, West "acts" as if she's doing a sketch on television. When she approaches Bud in a black outfit to seduce him, she looks about as sexy as a dead skunk. (The really funny thing about West's movies -- which I doubt she would ever have admitted to -- was the idea that the chubby, not exactly beautiful West would be the object of desire for so many men.) Elizabeth Patterson nearly steals the picture as Aunt Kate. When asked by her grand-niece if they had "it" in her day, she replies: "They had 'it' all right. But they didn't photograph it and set it to music."

Verdict: Hardly what you're hoping it will be, but not exactly awful. **1/2.

PEYTON PLACE

PEYTON PLACE (1957). Director: Mark Robson.

This is a surprisingly entertaining film version of Grace Metalious' once-notorious novel with a screenplay by John Michael Hayes. Constance MacKenzie (Lana Turner), who has a secret and a "past," is afraid that her daughter Allison (Diane Varsi) will follow in her footsteps and become like the town "bad girl" Betty (Terry Moore). "Roddy liked flashy girls so that's what I became," Betty says. Alison's friend Selena (Hope Lange) is raped by her step-father and the town seems to blame her. Norman (Russ Tamblyn) has a domineering mother and may have been intended to be a stereotypical gay character. School teacher Elsie Thornton (Mildred Natwick) is passed over in her hoped-for promotion to principal when the town hires much younger Michael Rossi (Lee Philips) instead. (This sub-plot, unfortunately, isn't developed.) Along with Natwick, Varsi, Lange, and Moore come off best, with nice turns by Arthur Kennedy, Lloyd Nolan, little Scotty Morrow as Joseph, and Lorne Greene as a prosecutor. Contrived at times; admirably frank at others. Beautifully photographed by William Mellor, and Franz Waxman's theme music is a classic. The only problem with the movie is that it's supposed to take place pre-WW 2, but it hardly has any late 30's period atmosphere at all.

Verdict: Sex and suffering soaked in classy sounds and images. ***

DANGEROUS CURVES (1929)

Richard Arlen and Clara Bow

DANGEROUS CURVES (1929). Director: Lothar Mendes. Colorized. 

Larry Lee (Richard Arlen) is the headliner high-wire act at a small-time circus. He is in love with his partner, Zara (Kay Francis), who is in love with Tony (David Newell), another high-wire artist. Rough-hewn but lovable Pat (Clara Bow), daughter of another deceased circus performer, has a big crush on Larry and hates the way Zara cheats on and uses him. When Zara and Tony run off together, Pat helps Larry get back on his feet, and he agrees to teach her and do a new act with her. But then Zara comes back into the picture ... 

Kay Francis with Arlen

Dangerous Curves is a charming and occasionally touching comedy-drama with some fine performances from the three leads. Anders Randolf also makes an impression as Brack, the owner of the circus. This movie belies the persistent notion that early sound pictures were static and slow, with the camera nailed to the floor, because this picture moves and is well-edited and at times quite cinematic. There are some things you have to take with a grain of salt, however. Arlen falls 170 feet and only breaks a few ribs, and Bow becomes a fairly adept wire walker rather quickly. But as this is another romantic fantasy, who cares?

Clara Bow

Kay Francis [Four Jills in a Jeep] and Richard Arlen [Identity Unknown] went on to make many movies and have successful sound careers, while Bow's career was essentially over four years later. She had had a passionate affair with Bela Lugosi (!) and later married handsome cowboy star Rex Bell, whereupon she retired, had two children, and developed a host of problems. However, she lived until she was sixty. Lothar Mendes also directed The Man Who Could Work Miracles. 

Verdict: An appealing Clara Bow helps put this over. ***. 

THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: HOLLYWOOD IN THE FIFTIES

THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Hollywood in the Fifties. Sam Kashner and Jennifer MacNair. W. W. Norton; 2002.

This is a very entertaining and readable account of Hollywood trends, important movies, and notable performers, writers and directors during the very end of the film capitol's golden age. The Bad and the Beautiful has chapters on the scandals both in and surrounding the controversial publication Confidential; the troubled offspring of certain movie stars (such as Edward G. Robinson and his son Manny); James Dean and Rebel Without a Cause; Rock Hudson, Douglas Sirk and Ross Hunter; Charles Laughton's Night of the Hunter; Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr.; Sweet Smell of Success, Burt Lancaster and Walter Winchell; rival Hollywood "news hens" Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons and Sheila Graham; the life and plays (Picnic; Come Back, Little Sheba) of William Inge and the film versions thereof; and Gloria Swanson and Sunset Boulevard. The book also details how Hollywood was completely changing in this decade, what with the inroads of television, the breakdown of the studio system, and the increasing use of location filming over shooting strictly on sound stages. Some of this material may be familiar to the film enthusiast, but there is much that is new and interesting as well, all told in compelling prose that keeps the pages turning.

Verdict: Excellent look at the foibles and triumphs of 1950's Hollywood. ***1/2.

HER FIRST ROMANCE (1940)

Edith Fellows and Wilbur Evans

HER FIRST ROMANCE (1940). Director: Edward Dmytryck.  Colorized.

Linda (Edith Fellows of Girls' Town) is a supposedly plain 17-year-old college freshman with an older half-sister and guardian, Eileen (Julie Bishop of Why Men Leave Home), who is cruel and selfish. Katy (Marian Kerby), the peppery housekeeper, can see right through bitchy Eileen, and makes up her mind to help Linda go to the prom -- and get the right dress -- despite her sister's edict that she cannot attend. Linda's being asked to the prom is just a fraternity joke, but when the boys see how transformed -- and downright beautiful -- she is, they all want to be her date. But that honor goes to handsome baritone Philip Niles (Wilbur Evans), who runs into Linda when both are busy singing in the woods!

Alan Ladd and Julie Bishop

Her First Romance is pure romantic fantasy, but it has a degree of charm and some very nice singing. Edith Fellows makes an appealing heroine, but once she becomes officially "beautiful," she's far less interesting. At the halfway point the movie becomes sillier and more incredible, with people falling in and out of love at the drop of a hat. Fellows had been acting since she was six, and amassed over eighty credits. Wilbur Evans appeared mostly on the stage, as he only had four appearances in movies, but with his looks and talent he should have become more famous. (Appearing in a Monogram picture probably didn't help him.) In a supporting role is Alan Ladd (of The Glass Key), as Eileen's fiance, whom she stole away from another sister, Marion (Judith Linden). Ladd, of course, went on to major stardom. The music includes the love duet in the forest; another duet from Don Giovanni; "My Love for You;" and Evans singing a version of Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. One." You watch the film to the end to see Eileen get her comeuppance, although she deserves worse than she gets.

Verdict: Just buy a new dress and the boys will all pant for you! **1/4. 

SWMMING WITH SHARKS

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS (1994). Director: George Huang.

Guy (Frank Whaley) wants so badly to make it in the movie business that he becomes an assistant to an egomaniacal asshole named Buddy Ackerman (Kevin Spacey) and puts up with his mood swings, nastiness, and abusiveness until something finally pushes him over the edge. Most of the movie consists of flashbacks as Guy makes Buddy a prisoner in his own home. Intriguing suspense-drama holds the attention, but what really puts it over is the acting, especially by an amazing Spacey. Whaley is also excellent, as is Michelle Forbes as a producer named Dawn with whom Guy has an affair. Benicio Del Toro also scores as Buddy's last assistant, who tries to teach Guy the ropes. The ending is unrealistic but cynical. This is no Citizen Kane but there's a character named "Foster Kane." Whaley and Forbes have done mostly TV work since this film was released.

Verdict: Quite entertaining with a marvelous Spacey. ***.

HOLLYWOOD HOTEL

Dick Powell and Rosemary Lane

HOLLYWOOD HOTEL (1937). Director: Busby Berkeley. 

Saxophonist Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell of Susan Slept Here), who has somehow been given a movie contract, is tapped to accompany movie star Mona Marshall (Lola Lane of The Woman Condemned) to a big premiere. He is unaware that an angry Mona has refused to attend and his date is actually a lookalike named Virginia (Rosemary Lane). When the studio drops Ronnie's contract due to the complaints of Mona, Ronnie and Virginia cook up schemes to get him back in the business. Meanwhile Benny Goodman and his band play a couple of snappy numbers, Dick and the Lane sisters sing some pleasant if forgettable songs, and three comparative freaks of nature -- supremely homely columnist Luella Parsons, "singer" Johnnie Davis, and buck-toothed Mabel Todd as Mona's sister -- nearly shatter the camera lens. 

Freaks: Johnnie Davis and Louella Parsons

Hollywood Hotel is an amiable bit of nonsense with a slender plot and some lively musical moments. Fritz Feld has a very funny bit as a Russian customer in a coffee shop, Ronald Reagan appears for a few seconds as an emcee at the premiere, Harry James -- still playing for Benny Goodman at this point -- makes smooth music with his trumpet, and Raymond Paige and his orchestra play an exciting Russian-style number. Others in the cast include Ted Healey (who put the Three Stooges together before being ousted) as "Fuzzy," Ronnie's alleged manager; Frances Langford; Glenda Farrell as Mona's secretary; Alan Mowbray (of Becky Sharp) as Mona's leading man; Perc Westmore as himself; Grant Mitchell as the head of the studio; Allyn Joslyn as his assistant; and others. Goodman's integrated band includes drummer Gene Krupa and vibraphonist Lionel Hampton. A gay fashion designer is named "Butch" -- oy vey!

Verdict: Some fun but perhaps not enough. **1/2. 

THE BETSY

Lesley-Anne Down and Tommy Lee Jones

THE BETSY (1978). Director: Daniel Petrie. 

"It's not the stock, it's not the money -- it's the car!" 

Loren Hardeman (Laurence Olivier of Richard III) wants a racer named Angelo (Tommy Lee Jones) to work with him on a new fuel-efficient engine and a brand new car he will name after his granddaughter (Kathleen Beller): the Betsy. However, Loren's grandson, Loren Hardeman III (Robert Duvall), who hates him and now runs the company, is completely against the idea, and pulls a few dirty tricks of his own. Loren III has a wife (Jane Alexander) and a mistress (Lesly-Anne Down of Countess Dracula), who also dallies with Angelo, but Betsy develops feelings for him as well. Meanwhile long intermittent flashbacks take us back to the thirties and to the story of Hardeman's gay son (Paul Rudd), his conspiring boyfriend (Clifford David), his wife (Katharine Ross of Games), who has an affair with her father-in-law, and an act of suicide which will have consequences in the present day. 

Father and son: Paul Rudd and Olivier

Based on a novel by schlockmeister Harold Robbins, The Betsy is actually an entertaining and well-acted potboiler. In addition to the very capable actors already named, there's good work from Joseph Wiseman as a mobster, Edward Herrmann as an assistant, and others. Olivier is simply too old for the flashback sequences -- no amount of hair dye or make up can make him look fifty years younger -- and while Duvall is generally excellent, he underplays way too much in his climactic confrontation with his grandfather. There is a nice score by John Barry. A very strange sequence has Angelo being beaten up not by tough guys but what appear to be businessmen on the verge of senior citizenship! The gay aspects are rather dated, but as this section of the story takes place long before Stonewall this is almost inevitable. Daniel Petrie also directed The Idol and many, many others. 

Verdict: Not too many likable characters in this, but it's absorbing. ***. 

WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF

Lana Turner and Van Johnson

WEEKEND AT THE WALDORF (aka Week-End at the Waldorf/1945). Director: Robert Z. Leonard. Colorized. 

The stories of several guests at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel are presented, occurring over one fateful weekend, in this semi-musical remake of Grand Hotel. The two main love stories concern: lonely movie star Irene Malvern (Ginger Rogers), who longs for a normal home life and marriage, and war correspondent Chip Collyer (Walter Pidgeon); and stenographer Bunny Smith (Lana Turner of These Glamour Girls) and Captain Hollis (Van Johnson of The Bottom of the Bottle), who may or may not survive a required operation. 

Ginger Rogers and Walter Pidgeon

In the original Grand Hotel a ballerina had to deal with an impoverished baron who wants to steal her jewels, but in this version Irene merely mistakes Chip for a thief, but he carries on the joke a little too far (for her and for the audience). At one point Irene even exclaims: "That's straight out of the picture Grand Hotel!" Other changes make this a movie only loosely based on Vicki Baum's novel, the source material for the original picture. Frankly, this would have been a much more entertaining movie if they had thrown out everything else -- including a sub-plot with Edward Arnold [Crime and Punishment] trying to fleece a mid-Eastern potentate (George Zucco) -- and strictly focused on the touching love story of Bunny and the captain. Turner and Johnson both give lovely and adept performances in this, and the picture really only comes alive when they are on -- although I must admit Xavier Cugat is likable and does a couple of bouncy numbers (he actually was playing the rooftop at the Waldorf at the time). 

Verdict: One half of a good movie. **1/2. 

KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE

KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE (1950). Director: Gordon Douglas.

Ralph Cotter (James Cagney) escapes from prison with the help of Holiday Carleton (Barbara Payton), the sister of another inmate, who dies during the break out. With the help of a shifty lawyer named Mandon (Luther Adler), Cotter blackmails a corrupt police inspector named Weber (Ward Bond) into using his resources into committing crimes. All goes smoothly until Cotter falls for Margaret Dobson (Helena Carter), the wealthy daughter of a powerful man ... This is a rather fascinating suspense/crime film, bolstered by excellent performances from the entire cast. Cagney is as mesmerizing as ever, and the tragic Payton, whose private life often overshadowed her acting achievements, proves that she did have genuine talent. The scene when she clings to Cagney and intones "I'm so alone, I'm so alone" is quite affecting. Helena Carter is also quite good in a less showy role. The force of the ending is a bit blunted by the production code, but this is still a very entertaining movie. Kenneth Tobey from It Came from Beneath the Sea, John Litel, and Barton MacLane are also in the cast, and William Frawley from I Love Lucy scores as a nasty if good-humored prison guard.

Verdict: Nifty crime drama with outstanding lead performance and highly creditable supporting cast. ***.

MARILYN

Sandra Dorne

MARILYN (aka Roadhouse Girl/1953). Writer-Director: Wolf Rilla. Colorized. 

George Saunders (Leslie Dwyer) owns a combination garage and cafe and lives there with his pretty young wife, Marilyn (Sandra Dorne), whom he essentially bought from her father. Who should apply for a job at the garage but handsome Tom Price (Maxwell Reed  of Daybreak), who takes a shine to Marilyn and vice versa. Before you can say The Postman Always Rings Twice, someone dies and Marilyn finds herself in the middle of a testy triangle containing both Tom and wealthy newcomer Nicky (Ferdy Mayne of Maid in Heaven). If that weren't enough for our heroine, her friend, confidante, and housekeeper, Rosie (Vida Hope), seems to have more than motherly feelings towards her. Which one will our gal wind up with and will anyone else wind up dead?

Maxwell Reed and Sandra Dorne

This British variation on Postman is a credible enough melodrama with good performances from all and -- aside from the basic structure -- an unpredictable plot. Although one could argue that Rosie loves Marilyn like a sister or daughter, the intensity of Vida Hope's performance and the dialogue she is given ("I would have died for you") really makes one wonder. Absorbing enough, with a little more seasoning Marilyn could have been a contender.  Dorne is quite beautiful, and a good actress, and Reed has a lot of screen presence as well. Like Beyond the Forest, this is another story of a desperate woman who longs for a better life and will do just about anything she can to get it. This UK production was released in the US as Roadhouse Girl. Wolf Rilla's most famous movie is Village of the Damned, which he also wrote and directed.

Verdict: Strangely compelling despite its flaws. ***. 

WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME

WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME (1942). Director: Charles Lamont.

War hero Johnny Kovacs (Allan Jones) is feted when he comes home on leave, but most of his musician buddies only know him as Johnny O'Rourke. Therefore when police come searching for him so he can fulfill some obligations, his pals assume he's a deserter from the army. Two women fall instantly in love with Johnny -- Joyce (Jane Frazee) and Marilyn (Gloria Jean) -- while Dusty (Peggy Ryan) can't even score with Frankie (Donald O'Connor). This has virtually no plot to speak of, but there are some well-delivered songs, such as the duets "This is It," "Romance," and "You and the Night and the Music." Jones has a very nice voice, but even in his day his style was a little too precious, and nowadays he seems just a bit hokey. Olin Howlin has a larger role than usual as a liaison, and a black dance group called the Four Step Brothers are full of verve. O'Connor is as good and as likable as ever, although his numbers with the frankly unfunny Ryan are nothing to sing about. Ryan made a better impression in Chip Off the Old Block, which starred O'Connor. Frazee was in Buck Privates and Gloria Jean in Copacabana.

Verdict: By the numbers -- but at least the numbers are good. **1/2.

PARK ROW

PARK ROW (1952). Director/Writer/Producer: Samuel Fuller.

This labor of love for Samuel Fuller about the newspaper business takes a while to get started, but eventually becomes quite interesting and dramatic, although it's nowhere in the league of, say, Citizen Kane, which also, in part, dealt with newspapers. Phineas Mitchell (Gene Evans), fired from the Star in 1880's New York, lunges at the opportunity to start his own newspaper the Globe, which he intends to make a real newspaper, not a shoddy imitation like the Star, whose publisher Charity Hackett (Mary Welch) hasn't got newsprint in her blood. 

Gene Evans

His first big story is his pal Steve Brodie (George O'Hanlon) jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. Hackett is attracted to Mitchell, and instructs underlings to begin a war on the paper, even though its circulation is not nearly as big as her major competitors. The war escalates into violence and tragedy, with bombs, mobs and destruction. Fuller even works in the invention of Linotype and the gift of the Statue of Liberty. Although this is supposed to be the "true" story of newspaper publishing, it has to be taken with a grain of salt. Fuller's script could have used some punching up and there are character reversals that make no sense. Mary Welch gives the most interesting performance in the film. (Welch died in childbirth six years after the movie was released and had only three other television credits.) Evans of Giant Behemoth fame certainly has his moments and is by no means a bad actor, but you can't help comparing him to the dynamic Orson Welles. Evans doesn't really have that kind of big screen presence that would help him dominate a movie.

Verdict: An interesting curiosity. **1/2.

BLITHE SPIRIT

Margaret Rutherford as Madame Arcati

BLITHE SPIRIT (1945). Director: David Lean. Based on the play by Noel Coward, who also produced the film.

To do research for his next book, writer Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison) and his wife Ruth (Constance Cummings) invite well-known psychic Madame Arcati (Margaret Rutherford) to dinner and a seance. Everyone at the dinner party thinks the madame is slightly nuts, and definitely a phony, but to Charles and Ruth's surprise she inadvertently manages to call back the spirit of Elvira (Kay Hammond) -- Charles' first wife, leading to expected -- and a few unexpected -- complications! 

Rex Harrison

One critic called the source material for the movie, the play of the same title by Noel Coward, "a wearying  exhibition of bad taste" and indeed it is the sort of dark comedy/farce in which tragic situations are milked for laughs and characters sort of suppress natural human emotions for the sake of the story. Many will feel there's a definite streak of (probably benign and possibly unintended) misogyny running through the movie as well. Harrison and Cummings are fine as the husband and his second wife, but Kay Hammond -- although her performance isn't bad -- has so affected and unnatural a voice, with its jutting lower lip and distasteful inflections, that she becomes positively repulsive as Elvira. Margaret Rutherford, on the other hand, is as delightful as ever as the medium and steals the movie from everyone else. Blithe Spirit is not exactly a laugh-riot (although any pathos the situations might have had goes unexplored) but it is amusing and entertaining. A bonus on the remastered DVD of the film is an interview with Coward scholar Barry Day, who provides much interesting information  on the background both of the play and movie, and also explores the many differences between the two -- and Coward's reaction to the film as well; Day is marvelous. The play was also turned into the cute if mediocre musical "High Spirits." 

Verdict: Certainly worth a look. ***.

STOLEN IDENTITY

Francis Lederer, Donald Buka, Joan Camden

STOLEN IDENTITY (1953). Director: Gunther von Fritsch. Colorized. 

In post-war Vienna American Tony Sponer (Donald Buka) has difficulty making a living because he has no valid papers. When a man is shot in the back of the cab he is temporarily driving, he sees an opportunity to take on his identity and perhaps get back to the States. Unfortunately, the dead man was supposed to meet Karen Manelli (Joan Camden), who is running away from her suffocating husband, the famous pianist Claude Manelli (Frances Lederer of The Return of Dracula). When Karen meets up with her "boyfriend," a completely different person, things really become complicated. 

Buka and Camden

Stolen Identity is an unpredictable suspense story with some fine performances, intriguing aspects, and interesting characters. Lederer is as smooth and vaguely sinister as ever as the concert pianist, and Buka is excellent as Tony, who is torn in different directions as he simply tries to get back to his birthplace but gets tied up in murder and danger. Camden is generally good, although there are times when she hardly seems as upset as she should be considering the circumstances (and the death of her lover). The whole story takes place on New Year's Eve, was filmed on actual Viennese locations, and was produced by actor Turhan Bey. Buka had a long career before settling into a role on All My Children; Camden mostly did television. There are some good supporting performances in this as well. An Austrian-U.S. co-production. 

Verdict: Crackling good suspenser. ***. 

(THE EARRINGS OF) MADAME DE

Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux

MADAME DE (1953/AKA The Earrings of Madame de). Director: Max Ophuls.

To pay off her debts, Comtesse Louise (Danielle Darrieux) pawns earrings that were given to her by her husband, General Andre (Charles Boyer), but they wind up being given back to her as a gift from the man she's fallen in love with, Baron Donati (Vittorio de Sica), causing mildly interesting complications. Ophuls' most famous film (made in Hollywood) is Letter from an Unknown Woman, which is vastly superior to the French-Italian co-production Madame de. The characters are not that dimensional, although the actors, especially a fine Boyer, do their best to put them over. Despite some of the emotions boiling under the surface, the story is slight and not handled with much dramatic flair. The modestly attractive Darrieux makes too ordinary a heroine. (She had a decidedly brief Hollywood career, appearing in The Rage of Paris in 1938.) I like de Sica better as a director than as an actor, although he is certainly not bad as Donati.

Verdict: A mere trifle all told. **.

BAD SISTER

David Durand and Bette Davis

BAD SISTER (1931). Director: Hobart Henley. Colorized.

The Madison family are beset with a series of problems. Laura (Bette Davis) is in love with Dr. Dick Lindley (Conrad Nagel of All That Heaven Allows), but he only has eyes for her sister, Marianne (Sidney Fox). For her part, Marianne falls hard for an out-of-town stranger, Valentine (Humphrey Bogart of The Barefoot Contessa) who has distinct, if unpleasant, plans for both her and her family. Dad (Charles Winninger of Lover Come Back) is prompted to find out as much as he can about Val, but the selfish and immature Marianne may cause terrible problems with her own actions. Meanwhile little brother, Hedrick (David Durand), shows Laura's diary to Dick, leading to a moving sequence between brother and sister. 

Sidney Fox and Humphrey Bogart

Bad Sister is best-known as the first film ever for Bette Davis, who is quite good, but you wouldn't necessarily see her as becoming a major and long-lasting star. This was also the first film for the capable Sidney Fox, who didn't have the same good fortune, committing suicide at 34. Bogart, of course, went on to great success and is quite effective in the movie. Nagel and Winninger score as suitor and father, and the film is nearly stolen by young Durand as the lovable if irritating scamp Hedrick, although the boy has his sensitive side as well. Based on a story by Booth Tarkington, Bad Sister is a charming, funny, and occasionally touching comedy-drama. Zazu Pitts and Slim Summerville are also in the cast as maid and son-in-law. 

Verdict: Lovely old movie. ***. 

THE BIGAMIST

Ida Lupino and Edmond O'Brien

THE BIGAMIST (1953). Director: Ida Lupino.

"How could a man like you, successful, respected, get into a situation as vile as this?"

When Harry Graham (Edmond O'Brien) and his wife Eve (Joan Fontaine) apply to adopt a child, Mr. Jordan (Edmund Gwenn), who's in charge of investigating the couple's background, discovers that Graham has another wife, Phyllis (Ida Lupino) in another city where he frequently travels for business. The rest of the film is a flashback as Graham tries to explain to the horrified Jordan exactly how he got into this situation. The Bigamist is completely absorbing, realistically and logically explaining how Graham fell in love with two women, and is beautifully acted by the entire cast. 

Joan Fontaine with O'Brien

Lupino's direction is on the mark, as is her acting, and O'Brien is excellent. The picture is nearly stolen by Joan Fontaine, who has a splendid moment as she reacts to the terrible news delivered to her over the phone by her lawyer. Jane Darwell and Kenneth Tobey have small roles, and there's a nice musical score by Leith Stevens. Very touching movie with an interestingly open-ended wind-up. On youtube there is a beautifully colorized version of the picture. Screenwriter-producer Collier Young was married to Fontaine but had previously been married to Lupino! 

Verdict: Outstanding adult drama with fine performances. ****.

THE FLAME

John Carroll and Vera Ralston

THE FLAME (1947). Director: John H. Auer. Colorized. 

George MacAllister (John Carroll of Zorro Rides Again) is in love with a nurse named Carlotta (Vera Ralston), who happens to be looking after George's supposedly dying brother, Barry (Robert Paige of Hellzapoppin). Carlotta marries Barry with the full approval of George, who is hoping to wrest his brother's fortune away from him. Complicating matters are another gal pal, Helena (Constance Dowling), and a guy with a big crush on her, Ernie (Broderick Crawford of All the King's Men). Then there's the termagant Aunt Margaret (Blanche Yurka), who casts a dim eye on Carlotta and Barry's marriage. Which of the two brothers will Carlotta ultimately wind up with, and which will be alive at the end? 

Robert Paige and Ralston

The Flame is an interesting if flawed bit of film noir from Republic Studios starring Ralston, the wife of the studio head. She seems to give a more convincing performance in this than in other films, although she'll never be seen as another Barbara Stanwyck. Carroll is excellent, however; Paige is somewhat less notable but good enough, Yurka scores as the aunt, and Crawford and Dowling nearly walk off with the movie. Crawford proves that there's much more to him than Highway Patrol, and Dowling does a snappy and sexy song and dance number in a nightclub. The generally unpredictable film keeps throwing curveballs at the viewer when it comes to the inter-relationships of the characters. Victor Sen Yung is a breath of fresh air and is very effective as George's manservant, Chang. There's also good work from Henry Travers as a doctor and Hattie McDaniel as a cheerful domestic. Reggie Lanning's cinematography and Heinz Roemheld's score are added attractions. It is never specified exactly what is wrong with Barry and he never seems to be "dying" or even ill. Much of the story takes place at Manhattan's tony Hampshire House on Central Park West, which is still standing today. 

Verdict: Some more character development might have helped, but this is intriguing enough in its own way. **3/4.