POORGOOD Very Good MASTERPIECE| A
Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Tennessee Williams' play brought to the screen very well by director Elia Kazan. This is quite a theatrical piece in its main concentration in a claustrophic set but it gains a lot from atmosphere and the power of the performances. This to me is Vivien Leigh's movie : she is just brilliant as the faded Blanche Dubois, such a sad, soulful character very nearly as good as her Scarlett O' Hara. Poor Vivien it is said made a mistake in getting into this character for her own well-being, sometimes it appears quite close to home. Marlon Brando is usually remembered more than Vivien for this one and he is great too in a role which really established him as an actor to be reckoned with. |
122 min,Black & White Director Elia Kazan Cast Includes Marlon Brando Vivien Leigh Kim Hunter Karl Malden Messageboard Discussion |
|
| Swing Time (1936) Great musical from the point of the score and some of the very best Astaire-Rogers numbers, in fact among the very best dance numbers ever done : Bojangles of Harlem and Never Gonna Dance are highlights. The plot is Ok and Victor Moore's comedy isn't up IMO to Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore but in the end it doesn't really matter. |
103 min,Black & White
Director George Stevens Cast Includes Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers Victor Moore Helen Broderick Eric Blore Betty Furness |
|
| The
Thief of Bagdad (1924) This is a great movie Fairbanks' best IMO. If you can get the version with the Carl Davis score from the 80s it really lifts the film and it plays slightly shorter in this version too (frame rates again!) The special effects are still indeed quite impressive better IMO than those used in the Michael Powell 1940 British movie which appears on critics' top lists much more often, the one with Sabu has a different plot and is good but to me is a lesser film, pity Doug doesn't to my mind get more recognition. |
155 min, Black & White
Director Raoul Walsh Cast Includes Douglas Fairbanks Julanne Johnston Anna May Wong Sojin |
|
| To Be or Not To Be (1942) Great movie, much better than the 80s remake. Jack Benny is hilarious "and they call me Concentration Camp Erhardt", sadly Carole Lombard's final film before her untimely death. |
99 min, Black & White
Director Ernst Lubitsch Cast Includes Jack Benny Carole Lombard Robert Stack Lionel Atwill Felix Bressart Sig Ruman Messageboard Discussion |
|
| Top Hat (1935) I love this one. A superb Irving Berlin score of which The Piccolino is probably the weakest link but still good fun. The comedy is excellent too with jittery Edward Everett Horton on top form. The silly mistaken identity plot even keeps you watching in the fervent hope Fred and Ginger get together. It is those elements which combine with the great numbers like Cheek to Cheek (wonderfully romantic dance), Isn't This A Lovely Day ? and Top Hat, White Tie and Tails (a tour de force routine) to make this my fave Fred and Ginger musical. |
99 min, Black & White
Director Mark Sandrich Cast Includes Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers Edward Everett Horton Helen Broderick Eric Blore Erik Rhodes Messageboard Discussion |
|
Don't forget our sister site the Golden Age of Hollywood Messageboard
The Golden Age of Hollywood Banners by Ktrek.
Written content of the Golden Age of Hollywood Website (except where indicated) copyright Derek McLellan, 2007.