gnb Reviews

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958)

Good frothy fun

[8/10 · 12 January 2008]

This little-known Western will probably be most attractive to contemporary audiences for one reason only...Jayne Mansfield. And Jayne Mansfield fans will indeed not be disappointed with this charming little movie which pairs sassy Miss M with the straight-laced British actor Kenneth More.

More is incredibly charming in this movie (as he tends to be in most of his screen appearances) and plays well of fast-talking saloon owner Mansfield. This is probably Mansfield's best on-screen partnership since her Rock Hunter appearance with Tony Randall. Gorgeously photographed in sumptuous Deluxe colour and with some nifty saloon songs from Mansfield (dubbed by Conny Francis), this is a sweet, amusing little movie with solid performances from two highly likable actors.

Hopefully, its release in the JM box set will introduce this film to a new generation of viewers. While scarcely a cinema classic, it's a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Enjoy!

The Wayward Bus (1957)

Jayne's finest hour?

[7/10 · 12 January 2008]

Like many Steinbeck stories, this is more of a snapshot of a time and place as opposed to a rigid start-middle-end kind of movie. What we get here is a look into the lives of a bunch of characters with many of their respective futures left open to interpretation.

So we have the buffoonish travelling salesman, the alcoholic diner owner, the teen dreaming of Hollywood stardom, the rugged bus driver, the embarrassed stripper, the repressed teen...the list goes on. Basically, a cross section of society travel on a bus whose journey is as unpredictable and dangerous as that of the lives of most of the passengers aboard.

While it's not the most riveting of movies, and the vastness of Cinemascope certainly spoils the intimacy of some of the scenes, it is a solid little drama in the kitchen sink/new wave style that is an entertaining watch from start to finish. While the copy I own on DVD has clearly been copied from a television broadcast resulting in fluffy picture and muffled sound, I still enjoyed (and repeatedly enjoy) watching this film.

The standout? But Jayne Mansfield of course. If Marilyn silenced the critics that she could act with a movie about a bus, then so did our Jayne. Of course the platinum blonde tresses and eye-popping figure are present and correct but gone are the silly wiggle, the high pitched squeals and the plunging necklines. Here, in a rare straight dramatic performance, Jayne present Camille not as a cartoon character a la Jessica Rabbit, but rather a sex symbol with feelings, someone who is employed for her looks but has fears and emotions beneath the surface. Jayne moves and talks naturally in this film and is a revelation.

How sad that after this solid performance and her wonderful turn as Rita Marlow in Rock Hunter, ego would dictate that she would agree to appear with Cary Grant in what many consider the final nail in her A-list film career, Kiss Them For Me...a truly abysmal waste of time.

But forget about her career mistakes; Jayne is solid gold here and this is well worth a watch.

Kiss Them for Me (1957)

Where it all went wrong...

[3/10 · 12 January 2008]

Oh dear, oh dear...

For JM fans, this was the nail in the coffin as far as her A-list Hollywood career was concerned. After solid turns in Girl Can't Help It, Wayward Bus, The Burglar and Rock Hunter it seemed Jayne was well on the way to becoming one of Tinsel Town's hottest stars. However, an obsession with racy publicity and an appearance in this clunker relegated Mansfield to the sidelines, namely cheap Euro loan-outs until Fox could drop her contract at the earliest opportunity.

This movie really is a diabolical waste of everyone's time with the exception of Suzy Parker who is the only thing in this movie bad enough for the material. Many people blame poor Jayne and her grating performance for this film's poor returns at the box office and while she is a pain in this film, she can only do her best with the material. After all, Cary hardly sets the screen on fire does he? After a handful of very good dramatic and comedy turns Jayne takes 10 steps back in her pursuit as a serious actress by agreeing (simply for the sake of appearing with Grant) to portray this squealing, idiotic menace. Her character of Alice is a complete cartoon bimbo and although she looks good enough to eat in a boiler suit, her every appearance in the film jangles your nerves. We all know Jayne could do so much better than this dross and yet here she is parading around like a prize pudding. A real shame.

Steer clear of this so-called comedy. It's more depressing than funny.

Promises..... Promises! (1963)

Too hot to handle!

[8/10 · 7 May 2006]

Promises! Promises! is probably most famous these days for the legendary nude sequences of voluptuous Jayne Mansfield which were featured in a sell-out Playboy spread and resulted in the movie being banned in several US cities.

However, there's much more to recommend the film than the brief glimpses we get of JM's famed knockers. And if you think this film is slapped together rubbish with nothing worth watching besides Mansfield writhing around in the bath...then you'd be wrong! Belying its B-movie roots, PP is actually very well put together with a nice little plot and a good cast who seem to be enjoying every minute of making the movie. Tommy Noonan, as usual, is pleasantly geeky, Marie McDonald manages to pull off sexy and sarcastic without coming over as a bitch and even Mr Jayne Mansfield, Mickey Hargitay, is convincing in his role as McDonald's husband.

And then there is Jayne. Despite this being yet another "dumb blonde" role for Mansfield, she is very good in this movie. Once her now famous nude scenes are out of the way we can concentrate on her performance and she really is very good in this. And naturally, she looks so good you could eat her up. And, true to her nature, she even manages to poke fun at herself and her image by having her character, Sandy, do an impression of Jayne Mansfield with comedian T.C. Jones.

This film has been re-released on remastered DVD and is well-worth a look. It's sexy, saucy and of course has the added bonus of showcasing ALL of Jayne Mansfield's "talents"...but there really is much more to enjoy here.

Catch it if you can!

Einer frisst den anderen (1964)

Dog eat dog eat dog...

[7/10 · 7 May 2006]

After her box office successes at Fox with hits such as The Wayward Bus, The Girl Can't Help it and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, the event that was Jayne Mansfield carved a new, and ultimately more interesting, career for herself in several European independent films.

Dog Eat Dog, released in 1964, was filmed in the former Yugoslavia and features Mansfield as Darlene, one third of a gang of crooks who have availed themselves of $1m in stolen cash. After escaping to a "deserted" island with several other money-mad misfits in tow, the body count starts to rack up and the hunt is on for a killer while everyone else tries to get away with the loot.

Sure, this movie is obviously low budget but it's still a lot of fun. The locations are nice, the dialogue is suitably trashy, it's pretty well directed and plot-wise it's watchable right to the end. And where else can you see one time Fox Amazon Mansfield hareing round a desert island with mad hair and a black eye? Recently re-released on DVD with some tasty extras this movie is well worth a look and proof, if any was needed, that Mansfield's post Fox film period wasn't totally devoid of gems.

Murder She Said (1961)

Charming

[9/10 · 7 October 2005]

For a fan of Brit films from the 30s-70s I am amazed it has taken me so long to get round to seeing a Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple film.

Everything about this movie was just...well..I think charming is the best way to sum it up. From the stirring Ron Goodwin theme which accompanies Miss Marple boarding a delicious old steam train to the closing credits this is as inoffensive, entertaining and genteel as British cinema gets. Full of comedy, drama, lush rural England and crackly black and white cinematography this is a real gem.

Of course the undoubted star of the show is Margaret Rutherford who performs a wonderfully dotty yet razor sharp version of Miss Marple...stomping about the place in her cloak and scarf. Also amusing is the scene in which Miss Marple and Jayne Mansfield are mentioned in the same sentence! Her scenes with James Robertson-Justice in usual blustering form are very funny indeed...particularly their final scene together.

Of course, the other Miss Marple movies are equally enjoyable but as this was the first one I saw I will always have a certain fondness for it. Delightful.

Female Jungle (1955)

OK film noir

[6/10 · 7 October 2005]

I imagine the sole reason for most people to want to see this movie is for the screen debut of 50s cinema sex goddess Jayne Mansfield. However, the film itself stands up reasonably well after fifty years.

The plot, as you are probably already aware, concerns the hunt for the killer of a Hollywood actress, murdered after she leaves a bar. An off-duty cop is in the frame as the killer and sets out to track down the real culprit.

This movie was obviously done on the cheap but has a gritty edge to it and more than enough action and suspense to fill its meagre running time. Shot entirely at night the film has an oppressive feel and has good performances from all concerned. Jayne Mansfield, in her film debut, is very impressive as a slutty broad and performs well without her trademark squeal. Although obviously very attractive she isn't at all glamorous here and acts very well. For anyone in doubt of her abilities then Female Jungle proves that she definitely had something.

Cheap, short and in the long term, forgettable, this is still an entertaining way to spend an hour. Don't break your neck to see it but if the opportunity arises, don't pass it by.

Steptoe & Son (1972)

Great tragi-comedy

[7/10 · 7 October 2005]

It was something of a trend in the 70s to make film versions of popular sit-coms of the day. With one or two exceptions these were cheaply made, second-rate efforts intended to cash in on the success of a popular TV show and were therefore largely embarrassing to watch. The first Steptoe and Son movie does, however, work fairly well.

The grit and seediness of the Steptoe's environment transfers very well to film and we get a valuable glimpse of a part of London which was grey, dilapidated and depressing...something we are never privy to in the TV series. With film censorship being slightly more relaxed than what could be seen or heard on television we get some hilarious outbursts from Harold and Albert, liberally peppered with swear words.

Of course the TV version of Steptoe is a sit-com and while this is funny in places the genuine tragedy of Harold and Albert's situation takes centre stage. Harold ends up getting hitched to a stripper but the match is doomed from the start due to his mixed feelings: all he wants to do is get away from his father and make something of himself yet abandoning him is the one thing he cannot do. We really do sympathise with Harold's plight in this movie and despise Albert's deviousness and thwarting him at every turn.

Of course, such sombre elements existed in the TV programme but due to them being mixed with relatively rapid comedy in 25 minute slots we accepted the character's situation without dwelling on it too much. This time round, with a longer running time and the tragi-drama fleshed out it sometimes makes for uncomfortable viewing.

All the leads perform well and this is a better example of how TV sit-coms could work as cinema spectaculars. Indeed, even if the characters weren't known from TV this has the potential to function well as a stand-alone movie.

See it and be pleasantly surprised.

Timeslip (1970–1971)

surprisingly good

[15 March 2005]

Mention British, science fiction and the 1970s in the same sentence and images of cardboard sets, tin foil monsters and the worst acting in the history of the business may well spring to mind. However, despite never being on a par with the slick, soap-opera style sci-fi serials from the States, the fact that homegrown sci-fi is often cheap and tatty is surely one of its appealing factors.

However, when looking at the 1970 ATV serial Timeslip, such criticisms, however quaint, are simply not applicable. Solidly acted, well crafted and smartly directed, this whopping great serial, split into 4 distinct stories, is a television treat.

First screened in 1970 and then repeated once the following year, Timeslip has maintained a loyal fan base despite its lack of exposure on television.

The series takes an intelligent look at the concept of time travel and the implications of meeting future/past selves. We travel back to a WWII naval station, forward to a Arctic research centre, the heat is turned up in a sweltering tropical jungle before closing the serial in a mixture of 60s and 70s Earth.

Epic in terms of its length and its concepts, Timselip benefits greatly from a stunning performance by Denis Quilley as Commander Traynor and a remarkably astute turn by Spencer Banks as Simon. Perhaps a drawback of the programme is the incessantly winy and extremely sexist presentation of Liz, played with little flair by Cheryl Burfield.

After a limited video release in the mid 90s, it is nice to see this wonderful series released on DVD. Although the original series was transmitted in colour, only black and white tele-recordings were maintained in the ATV archives. However, as a special treat, the final episode of The Time of the Ice Box is presented in its original colour format. Somewhat jarring after 11 episodes of grainy black and white, it makes the serial seem somewhat gaudy and bright and maybe this episode might have been best left as a special feature on the disk but all in all, it doesn't detract too much from this intelligent, well thought out serial.

The Wild Wild World of Jayne Mansfield (1968)

interesting...but not all that wild!

[6/10 · 15 March 2005]

By the time Jayne Mansfield came to film her Wild Wild World documentary in the late 60s, her star was well and truly on the wane. The A-movie parts had dried up and she was acting in B-movie trash and touring night clubs in order to make a living. As well as regular centre spreads in magazines like Playboy, Mansfield still maintained a place in the public eye. Although by no means the star she once was she still commanded press attention and was probably, by this point, one of the first people to be famous for being famous.

The Wild, Wild World of Jayne Mansfield is a curiously muddled affair which cobbles together footage of Jayne sashaying around various Euro locations. Jayne visits tourist attractions, night clubs, nudist beaches and beauty parlours in a whistle-stop tour of Europe.

Jayne unfortunately was killed during the production of the film and so some early scenes of her in Rome involve a (sometimes) poorly concealed double. Another drawback is the faux-Mansfield voice over. More a parody of Mansfield than anything else this breathy, dumb blonde voice comes out with some real clunkers during the course of the film! Perhaps the most twisted aspect of the movie is the inclusion of photographs of the scenes of the car crash which claimed Jayne's life followed by a tour of the Pink Palace by a glum-looking Mickey Hargitay and two of Jayne's young sons. A rather sleazy and sensational end to an otherwise harmless piece of late-60s camp.

Although by no means a good film, this is an interesting one to watch. It is nice to see the attention Mansfield still attracted by this point in her career. Although the success of glossy A-movies such as The Girl Can't Help It were more than 10 years old by this point and Mansfield was 'starring' in dross like The Fat Spy, she could still draw a crowd. Although less curvy than in her heyday and there being something slightly grotesque about her wiggle and constant near-nudity, Jayne was nothing if not a personality. And her Wild, Wild World sums her up perfectly!

*One point of interest for film buffs: David Puttnam is credited as an executive producer on this film. A very early film credit, Lord Puttnam is he is now is probably more famous for producing movies like Midnight Express, Bugsy Malone and Chariots of Fire. Well, we all have to start somewhere!

Something's Got to Give (1962)

The end of the blonde bombshell...

[30 September 2004]

Marilyn Monroe. Two words that sum up all that is bright, shining and glamorous about 50s Hollywood. No other actress in the history of cinema has the iconic status of Norma Jean Baker and it's doubtful anyone else will.

Something's Got to Give was Marilyn's final film effort, an incomplete bedroom comedy in the vein that Doris Day would later make famous. The fact that Marilyn died part way through production makes the footage here extremely interesting for Monroe fans. In fact, from what is left of the film we get a good idea of what the finished product might have been like and had it not been for the untimely death of its lead, it is doubtful whether it would have been of much interest.

What does exist leads one to believe that this would have been a rather weak, lifeless 'comedy' made on the cheap and intended to cash in on Monroe's box office clout to make Fox a buck or two at a time when the studio was in financial dire straits.

However, it is open to conjecture what SGTG would have been had it been completed. What does exist is some of the most exquisite footage of Monroe we have. After looking somewhat bloated and tired in her previous couple of movies, here Monroe is svelte, her figure is gorgeous and her hair and make-up are a dream. Again, Monroe was breaking new ground by ditching the curvy, hour glass look of the 50s and paving the way for the sleek, slim line figure of the 60s which Audrey Hepburn popularised.

However, Monroe was not to finish the movie and so what we are left with are some rather pretty snap shots of her in her final months of life. Although it was a terrible waste that she died, Monroe to me typifies the 50s and therefore the 60s weren't really her territory. Although how she may have redefined the era is anyone's guess. Something did give and unfortunately it was Monroe herself.

The Fat Spy (1966)

Oh...my...god

[30 September 2004]

Truly abysmal beach 'comedy' featuring the fading glamour that was Jayne Mansfield.

I think I would be hard pushed to find a worse movie than this! The acting, direction, stock quality, music, sound recording and plot are all dreadful. The plot, or what little of it there is, has something to do with the fountain of youth on a small tropical island but will leave you bamboozled to say the least.

The only attraction here is Jayne Mansfield and it will only be fans of the actress that will want to get hold of this film. However, by now Jayne was on a downward spiral that would eventually lead to her tragic death. Never averse to making a quick B picture to bring in some cash and push her celebrity, things were by now in dire straits and this is well and truly a Z grade film made for next to nothing. Mansfield takes 50 steps backward here in her personal quest to be taken seriously as a dramatic actress. Her dumb blonde performance in this picture is an embarrassment to behold and her sex pot image is seriously on the wane as her famous curves have been filled by extra flesh.

A disaster in every sense of the word and a real shame to see someone with Jayne's obvious potential wasted in a load of old rubbish. It's hard to imagine that someone who appeared in the classic 'The Girl Can't Help It' and got the full Fox treatment is now doing Monroe rip-offs in nonsense such as this.

Steer clear...!

The Avengers (1961–1969)

Truly superb!

[30 September 2004]

An absolute masterpiece in British television, The Avengers is a timeless, witty, fantastical series which is as, if not more, popular today than it was more than 40 years ago.

This series has something for everybody - gangsters, diabolical masterminds, glamorous girls, car chases, fights and endless glasses of champagne.

It is interesting to see how the series developed from its humble beginnings in 1961. Playing it straight in the early days it gradually became more and more way-out with wackier and wackier plots and characters. The Cathy Gale and Emma Peel eras are regarded by many to be the high point of the series although there are high spots in virtually every point in the show's history.

Only one episode exists from Series 1 with the mysterious, shadowy Steed being a much more sinister character to Ian Hendry's open Doctor Keel. Then we have much verbal sparring and innuendo between Steed and the delicious Cathy Gale and her kinky boots. Film and eventually colour were introduced with the feline Emma Peel and her high kicks and the show closed the 60s in gaudy, cartoonish style with the naive Tara King and her snazzy Lotus Europa.

This is British television at its best and a true legend in broadcasting. The 1970s version, The New Avengers, has it's own charm in a way but is best regarded as a totally separate entity as this original series was...well...original!

Let's Make Love (1960)

...but is it really that bad?

[30 September 2004]

Released in 1960 after Marilyn's super turn in the fantastic 'Some Like It Hot', LML has often been cited as Monroe's worst movie.

There is plenty to work against the film: Cukor's almost non-existent direction, the rather dreadful musical numbers, Yves Montand's irritating performance and the wasted opportunities of the star cameos.

However, Let's Make Love is a reasonably inoffensive way to waste an afternoon. The plot is slight and therefore doesn't require too much brain power to follow and Monroe is, as usual, cinema gold. Despite the fact that she is slightly overweight here and nothing much has been done with her in terms of make-up, hair or wardrobe she is eminently watchable. She gives a convincing, assured performance in her role turning the simple character of Amanda into a sweet, likable woman.

As I have mentioned before in Monroe reviews, I always find it interesting to see Monroe in films in the 1960s, being very much an icon of the 1950s.

So, is LML really that bad? Well, to be honest no, it isn't. It's lightweight fluff that doesn't really mean anything but is watchable non the less. It is unfortunately placed between the sublime 'Some Like It Hot' and Monroe's bravura performance in the following year's 'The Misfits' but don't hold that against it. Make up your own minds!

Bus Stop (1956)

A great performance

[30 September 2004]

Bus Stop has been rightly hailed as Marilyn Monroe's breakthrough performance in a movie as a serious dramatic actress. She is absolutely superb here, ditching the breathless dumb blonde of earlier roles and playing a hardened, Southern chanteuse in search of true love. She manages to convey a whole range of emotions which is testament to her time spent at Lee Strasberg's Actor's Studio in New York. As usual she sparkles and it's difficult to take your eyes off her, but there is a depth and sympathy to her playing that makes you take note of the performance and not simply the curves.

However, Bus Stop is a relatively simple picture of unrequited then requited love. The comedy moments don't often work that well and Don Murray's Beau has to be one of the most irritating characters I have ever seen in a film. Him and Cherie coming together at the end of the picture is unbelievable and spoiled the movie for me...I always wanted her to get away!

Bus Stop is more enjoyable from the Monroe point of view as her playing is spellbinding and marked a turning point in her career.

Ladies of the Chorus (1948)

Catch if you can!

[30 September 2004]

For Marilyn Monroe fans this is a real treat. Before she hit the BIG time, Monroe made this 1 hour B movie at Columbia and puts in a relatively assured performance despite this being so early in her career.

Sure, her performance wasn't going to win an Oscar but she is self-assured and natural in front of the camera. Leaving aside a couple of duff line deliveries Monroe sparkles in this movie and brightens it up somewhat.

Although relatively light-weight and inconsequential, this cheapo is actually pretty well produced and looks and feels of higher quality than most quickie filler films.

At the end of the day, this is really going to appeal only to fans of Marilyn Monroe wanting to see her in an early role, but is enjoyable nevertheless and a pleasant way to waste an hour.

Jamaica Inn (1939)

...OK until you read the book

[28 September 2004]

I was pleasantly surprised when I first saw Hitchcock's 'Jamaica Inn'. I had heard so many bad things about the movie and the fact that it seemed to have been made on the cheap and in a hurry so Hitch could do a runner to Hollywood. I really liked this movie - I thought the lovely Maureen O'Hara made a very spirited Mary Yellan and Leslie Banks was great as her hulking bully of an Uncle, Joss. While not as technically inventive as some of Hitchcock's other work before or since, I felt it was made with care and presented a realistic, gloomy atmosphere of doom with its endless night time scenes and constant soundtrack of howling winds and crashing waves.

And then I read the book...

Du Maurier's novel was so different as to bear no relation whatever to Hitchcock's film. The book was intense, gritty, dark and very moody. Mary Yellan was written almost as she is presented on screen with her sharp, Irish wits but Joss is a much more tortured, boorish animal than he is in the film. Also, the character played by Charles Laughton is absent in the book - or at least Laughton's incarnation is. The squire in the book is one of the good guys and features very little. The film of 'Jamaica Inn' may as well be called the Charles Laughton Show so as to give the actor every chance to overact.

See the film if you are a Hitchcock fan and enjoy it for what it is but if you've read and enjoyed the book, my advice would be to steer clear!

Playgirl After Dark (1960)

much too much too much...to hot to handle!

[19 September 2004]

After the Hollywood successes of 'The Girl Can't Help It' and 'Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter', 20th Century Fox were at a loss as to what to do with the outlandish personality of Jayne Mansfield. So, as a way of making some quick cash out of their star without having to put her in a picture, they often loaned her out for cheapo European productions such as this B-movie pot-boiler filmed in England.

However, the finished results are surprisingly good. Jayne Mansfield puts in an incredibly accomplished turn as jaded stripper Midnight Franklin. Jayne acts so well in this movie - she really gives a great impression of someone who can turn on the sexy, sleazy charm of a showgirl on stage whilst being disillusioned and fearful behind the scenes. Her pep-talk to a young Barbara Windsor is quite rightly often highlighted as the high-point of Jayne's dramatic career.

The story is at times a little muddled but is well acted by a solid supporting cast including Christopher Lee, Leo Genn and Karl Bohm and is presented in a seedy, gritty manner befitting the film's seedy setting of London strip joints. The only complaint I could make about the movie and its setting is that in basing the film around strip joints the limitations of what could be shown due to censorship laws (this was 1960 after all) are painfully obvious as all we are left with are several musical numbers of supposed strippers writing around more or less fully clothed. Although, it is not absolutely necessary to make this movie a sordid nude-fest I think it is obvious how strict censorship was in those days given what little nudity we actually get to see. And why feature so many 'strip' numbers anyway...?

All in all this is a pretty good movie and worth a look to see Jayne Mansfield flexing her acting muscles. The version I managed to track down on video is unfortunately in black and white and with a rather poor sound mix but catch it if you can!

The Girl Can't Help It (1956)

Mansfield's peak...?

[19 September 2004]

Frank Tashlin's 'The Girl Can't Help It' is as much a valuable social document of 1950s rock 'n' roll as it is gaudy, cartoonish comedy.

The appearances of 50's luminaries such as Little Richard and Fats Domino give the viewer a strong impression of the vitality and raw power of rock 'n' roll and the film is, if nothing else, a strong piece of archive material.

The plot is somewhat slight but the cast all look as though they're having fun with the light-weight material. Tom Ewell is much more effective and bearable than he was as the whiney Richard Sherman in 'The Seven Year Itch' and is a joy to watch as the washed-up agent Tom Miller.

I don't know about other viewers but I found Edmund O'Brien's turn as Fatso incredibly irritating - all growls and bluster and his 'hit' Rock Around the Rock Pile was excruciating!

And so to Miss Mansfield. Jayne has a not entirely undeserved reputation as being little more than a peroxided pair of knockers, due in large part to her knack of picking rubbish film projects later in her career but here she is just wonderful. She gets the full A-list treatment from 20th Century Fox and looks and acts superbly. From her first appearance through those sliding doors dressed in a figure hugging white sequined gown to her famous sashay down the street in black wide-brimmed hat she is a cartoon character come to life. Leaving aside a few duff line deliveries, Mansfield is on the top of her game her as the seemingly talentless Jeri Jordan, who shuns celebrity for motherhood. Tashlin was well aware of Jayne's limitations as an actress and so everything she is required to do i n Girl she does extremely well and never looked better on film. It is sad to see Mansfield in such turkeys as 'The Fat Spy' after her turn in this classic although for those of you still needing proof that she could put in a dramatic turn, check out 'Too Hot to Handle'.

For fans of 50's rock 'n' roll, Tom Ewell and the wonderful Jayne Mansfield, look no further than 'The Girl Can't Help It'.

The Old Grey Whistle Test (1971–2018)

The hits just keep on coming...

[17 November 2003]

Famous, and rightly so, as the only music programme of its generation to give airtime to obscure, unsigned and alternative bands/artists.

Many a now-famous face were given their first 15 minutes of fame on the "Old Grey Whistle Test" and we have it to thank for introducing vast quantities of quality music to the record buying public.

If you can, get your hands on the special DVD releases celebrating the programme. While the first issue concentrates mainly on famous artists (Meat Loaf, Blondie, Simply Red, Talking Heads) it is the more obscure acts on DVD 2 that are really of interest (Kevin Ayers, Be Bop Deluxe).

So if you can remember Bob Harris, Annie Nightingale, Mark Ellen and David Hepworth first time round then give OGWT another blast. Whereas, if you know nothing about the programme give it a watch any way and ask yourself why we don't have music shows like this anymore!

Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Brilliant

[5 December 2002]

I deliberately avoided this film ever since its release as I was expecting to hate the Dogme 95 style and despise the rather odd Bjork in the title role.

Two years is too long to go without seeing this incredible film. The jerky, home move style approach taken by von Trier is an excellent way to capture the realism and humanity of Selma's situation and the audience is on her side right from the start. Her shy, unobtrusive character and her obsession with gay old Hollywood musicals make her an extremely likeable character.

Working every hour god sends to save enough money for her son's eye operation despite the deterioration of her own sight is a totally selfless act and it's difficult to imagine anyone other than the impish, pixie-like Bjork playing the role.

It's surprising to see Catherine Deneuve in there too but her performance as Kathy is also very strong and the friendship between her and Selma is very charming.

Unfortunately, Bjork gets f**ked over like no one else in cinema history so be prepared to weep buckets in the last half hour. A truly original picture made all the more special by the spellbinding performance of the lead.

Topaz (1969)

...what went wrong?

[23 September 2002]

In the period after "Psycho", Hitchcock seemed to lurch from one very different film to the next. Almost mirroring his early British period in which he experimented with a variety of genres, his later period sees him leave familiar territory and, almost losing his way, try out a variety of movies with varying degrees of success.

I hate to be the millionth person to say it but "Topaz" is by far the worst effort in this last batch. I tried desperately to like it. Having read tonnes of reviews slating it to the hills I felt sure it would be an underrated masterpiece and while I have seen worse films in general, Hitch misfires all the way through this one.

From the mumbled, wooden performances to the complex plot and rushed ending this film is a mystery - how did it ever get made in the first place? There isn't even any typical Hitchcock touches in the rather flat direction.

See this if you're a fan of the great man and want to see as many films of his as possible, but don't hold your breath for too long. "Topaz" is a huge disappointment - the only good thing is that Hitch was back on form for his next project.

Marnie (1964)

No sex please, she's American

[23 September 2002]

Of all of Hitchcock's films, "Marnie" is the one I go back to time and time again. Not because it's my favourite picture of his, but because I need to see it over and over to try and figure out if I like it or not.

This is Hitch's first step into new territory after 20 odd years of classic movie-making and I guess, at the time, the reception to "Marnie" wasn't all that hot.

It is a difficult film. Unlike anything Hitch had ever made before -there's no murders, blackmail, secret agents or foreign correspondents. This is more psycho-analytical than "Spellbound".

Sean Connery seems an odd choice to play Mark Rutland - a beefy Scots in the middle of America calling everyone old bean and I cannot decide for the life of me if Tippie Hedren is a stuffy, wooden woman who can't act or a great actress playing a stuffy, wooden woman.

Like I say, "Marnie" intrigues me and I want to know why Hitch made it, what he was trying to say, what's it all about....? 10 out of 10 for bravery for attempting something so wildly different but I am still not entirely convinced he manages to pull it off.

The Ring (I) (1927)

3, 2, 1...out!

[23 September 2002]

"The Ring" is, for me, Hitchcock's best silent feature. It is a nippy little romance which sprints along with a surprisingly swift pace.

There's the typical early Hitch experimentation - the camera getting "knocked out" in a boxing scene is a prime example and some fine comedic moments in what is otherwise a pretty serious story of love and betrayal although, with the boxing backdrop, the rather mundane story is slightly more exciting.

Less gimicky than the more famous "The Lodger", and therefore more believable, "The Ring" is an underrated, early effort from the man who went on to become one of the most celebrated directors in the world.

NB. Catch hold of the BFI release of this video if you can - the score is superb and by far the best new music I have heard composed for a silent movie.

Spellbound (1945)

Spellbinding!

[22 September 2002]

This is one of the few Hitchcock films I hadn't seen until quite recently. I entered into the film cautiously having heard mixed reviews of it but was more than pleasantly surprised.

This is a brilliant little Hitchcock thriller with all the usual plot devices (a murder, police hunt, memory loss etc) but all given an extra dimension by the psycho-analysis threads running through the story.

The cast are more or less superb. It takes a while to get used to Ingrid Bergman as a psycho-analyst but this is easier to do later in the film when she ditches her specs and white coat. Leo G. Carroll is a pleasant, mild-mannered doc whose quiet politeness becomes all the more ominous when it turns out he's the bad guy. The only real disappointment here is Gregory Peck who is somewhat wooden in an early screen role.

Of course, one of the main highlights of the movie is the impressive dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali. Without resorting to horror effects these sequences come over as being realistically dream-like through use of huge, distorted shapes and mysterious, faceless men.

Hitch is firing on all cylinders direction wise too and the scene where Dr. Murchison shoots himself includes the token "great shot" of the film.

If you haven't already seen Spellbound and are put off by its mixed reviews - don't be. All the classic Hitchcock elements are here plus a little extra for the brainiacs to chew on.