POORGOOD Very Good MASTERPIECE| Notorious
(1946) This is a very solid Hitchcock thriller, definitely one of his best of the Forties though I like Rebecca (1940) more and on occasion Shadow of a Doubt (1943). The acting is excellent and Hitch demonstrates his versatility with a famous crane shot closing in on the keys to the basement where the bottles of wine conceal the Macguffin (fairly innocous detail in the plot which is the reason the action is taking place). I've always had some problems with the ending. Some like the ambiguity but it ends somewhat in mid air with no real closure to Devlin, Alicia or Alexander's fates. Sometimes that can work to a movie's benefit but I've always felt slightly cheated by it. |
101 min, Black & White Director Alfred Hitchcock Cast Includes Cary Grant Ingrid Bergman Claude Rains Louis Calhern Leopoldine Konstantin Reinhold Schunzel Moroni Olsen Messageboard Discussion |
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| On the Town (1949) It is full of infectious energy. My fave number is Gene Kelly and Vera Ellen dancing to When You Walk Down Mainstreet with Me. Not a lot of weaknesses really though the ballet sequences Miss Turnstiles and the final ballet I find more laboured than in the later Freed and Kelly musicals like An American In Paris, Singin' in The Rain and The Band Wagon. |
98
min, Color
Director Gene Kelly , Stanley Donen Cast Includes Gene Kelly Frank Sinatra Vera-Ellen Betty Garrett Ann Miller Jules Munshin Messageboard Discussion |
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| On the
Waterfront (1954) This is a superb film. Brando's performance is great, I don't think he ever bettered it, also very good though are Rod Steiger and Lee J. Cobb. The music is very symphonic, it is a sombre story but the emotions expressed are big the music reflects that. |
108 min, Black & White
Director Elia Kazan Cast Includes Marlon Brando Karl Malden Lee J. Cobb Rod Steiger Pat Henning Eva Marie Saint Messageboard Discussion |
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| Our Hospitality (1923) First real Keaton feature is a wonderful parody of melodramas about family feuds. |
74
min, Black & White
Director Buster Keaton Jack Blystone Cast Includes Buster Keaton Natalie Talmadge Joe Keaton Buster Keaton, Jr. Kitty Bradbury Joe Roberts |
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| The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) Love this one, it starts a bit slow but is really moving by the end. Best movie ever for me about the dangers of the lynch mob mentality. |
75
min, Black & White
Director William A. Wellman Cast Includes Henry Fonda Dana Andrews Mary Beth Hughes Anthony Quinn William Eythe Henry Morgan Jane Darwell Frank Conroy Harry Davenport Messageboard Discussion |
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Written content of the Golden Age of Hollywood Website (except where indicated) copyright Derek McLellan, 2007.