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Reviews
Jane Eyre (1970)
They skipped the best part!
I enjoyed the movie for what they presented but they left out the beginning of the book. Jane gets into a fight with here guardian aunt, who then locks her in a dark closet for the night. Jane is terrified, has hallucinations, and swoons. The next day is when arrangement's are made for her to go to that school. Almost reminds you of scenes out of Charles Dickins "Great Expectations" (Guardian Aunt - "I raised you by hand I did and this is the thanks I get?") and "Mommy Dearest". I do agree with other reviewers that George C. Scott does a great job on his part and Susan York graces the screen with her beauty, and her acting. Instead of for TV this one should have been released in theaters
The Lost World (1925)
Great Silent
Loved the story line. Photography good for the era. This is one of the better silent films because it had many dialog cards. I would recommend this one to everybody. If you liked the first talky version of "Lost World" or the original "King Kong" you will like this.
This is the story of a scientist who returns from an expedition from the Amazon with a wild story about finding living dinosaurs is meet with ridicule by both the scientific world and the press. Trying to raise people and money for another expedition to rescue a member who had been cut off and left behind, he finds himself with a very unlikely crew. After arriving they themselves become stranded. See the movie to find out if they get rescued or not.
The General (1926)
Historically accurate and inaccurate
A distant cousin of mine Marion Ross was a Sgt Maj for Andrew's Raiders, which is the event that the movie is based on. In the real story, the Yankee spies run out of fuel and water and are captured in Chattanooga TN. They were all tried as spies and convicted. Some of them were sentenced to hang, my cousin included. Needless to say I wanted to view the movie, to see how you could make a comedy out of a story which for some people was a tragedy.
As I viewed the movie I found that the first part of it was historically correct from the point where the engineer (Buster Keaton) and passengers went into the train station for breakfast and the union spies stole the train. The General's conductor, William Fuller, gave chase on a handcar. Yonah, an engine he commandeered from an ironworks in the town of Toward. He had to abandon the Yonah at Kingston, the tireless Fuller pursued the raiders on foot to Adairsville, where he found another, more powerful engine, the Texas, sitting at a southbound siding. Since the General had already passed, Fuller had no time to turn the train around. Undaunted, he went after them with the Texas at full steam in reverse -- still going twice as fast as the General. The rest I have already told you about.
I am not allowed to list my url but if you Google 'the great locomotive chase fplum' you can go to my website and read the full story (twice actually) as well as see pictures of Marion Ross, the monument to Andrew's Raiders at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, Marion's Medal of Honor (First Army Soldier to be awarded posthumous), and The General.
However the movie departs from history when Buster starts tearing apart the rail car and stops for water (another fine Keaton stunt with the water hose) and they do not get captured. Thus the movie becomes entertaining and leaves the knowledge that those who died bravely were not dishonored in any way. This is my first serious viewing of Buster Keaton and I loved it and will attempt to view others. (I also got the Wal-Mart special of 2 Keaton movies and two Chaplin movies for $5.50, it's worth the money). Now I want to see Walt Disney's "The Great Locomotive Chase", which is a more historical version of those events.