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Reviews
Bachelor in Paradise (1961)
Bob Hope in an overlooked gem about the early 1960s
Late in his career, the anti-establishment social satirist Mort Sahl claimed that the only political and social commentator still active was Bob Hope. While many might be surprised by this comment, viewing this film will certainly show viewers Mort's point. Without going over the top and without insulting his audience, Hope skewers modern life in either the US, California, Southern California, Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, tract suburbia, or all of the above. Bob's targets are carpools, tract homes, supermarkets, kids, a landscape abandoned by males by day to females, and sexual passion replaced by diapers and garbage disposals. And all the while getting his laugh without insulting the paying customers. While the bookends to the story outside of Paradise are nothing special, Life in Paradise is strongly recommended for those who remember the early 1960s. And even more for those who don't.
Experiment in Terror (1962)
Maybe the Best Movie You Have Never Seen
Warning. Spoilers follow.
This may be the best movie recent audiences have not seen. Unpretentious and without specials and endless chases & violence, it literally grabs the audience by the neck seconds after the opening credits end and doesn't let go until the end credits roll.
One might mistake this film for the work of Hitchcock due to its style. It doesn't look like a big budget film, but the effective use of black & white cinematography and realistic use of San Francisco landmarks add to the story telling's contrasts. Lee Remick and Glenn Ford give fine understated performances while Ross Martin is creepy without being campy.
Because we jump into the conflict immediately, no backstory is ever offered to explain the unusual and somewhat baffling structure of the Sherwood household, which in its own way adds to the somewhat off kilter feel. It appears to be just 16 year old Toby living with her older sister, Kelly. By her actions, such as checking on Toby's plans and whereabouts, one is led to believe that Kelly may be Toby's legal guardian. But both sisters also comment on how very close they are, something unlikely if the same 11 year age difference exists between the 16 year old Toby and Lee Remick's actual age of 27. Even a 5 year age difference between the sisters would likely strain the stated closeness. But if Kelly is just 20, it is unlikely she would be granted guardianship. Regardless of her age, how can Kelly afford such a beautiful house and her nice convertible on a bank teller's salary? Another clue is that the sisters still share a bedroom, unlikely if they are the only inhabitants of the home. It could therefore be argued that big sister Kelly still lives at home with her parents who are away during the turmoil. An airport dropoff would explain not only Kelly's extended solo drive through San Francisco at night during the opening credits but her parents' absence as well.
The final climax involves Toby being locked in mink storage locker and Kelly being forced to attend a night game at Candlestick Park. Any Giants fan will realize that Kelly suffered the harsher and colder ordeal.
The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964)
Not firing on all cylinders
As a kid I remember quite a lot of buzz about "The Yellow Rolls-Royce" but knew nothing of it nor had I seen even a clip from it. So when it came on TCM recently I gave it a look based on its promising premise and the all-star cast. While it is not an awful film, I felt it was missing, just like a badly tuned automobile.
The first problem for me was a lack of chemistry between any of the the characters in each of the three segments. This was made very apparent as the conflicted male-female relationships were similar in each segment. The Lord's wife and the gangster's doll are both cold fish, even with their lovers. Secondary characters such as Art Carney are all undeveloped. The resistance fighters are without passion. All actors seem to be wandering aimlessly by themselves, stopping occasionally to throw a line in the direction of another. Perhaps the only scene that seemed to show any spark was when Shirley MacLaine acted to protect her gigolo.
I also expected the Yellow Rolls itself to play a much bigger part and to tie each historical period together. Such was not the case.
The Tender Trap (1955)
Constant Misfires
The Tender Trap, even if one takes it within its mid 1950's context, misfires at nearly every step resulting in a very underachieving effort.
First and foremost is the miscast pairing of Reynolds and Sinatra. In addition to there being zero on-screen chemistry between them, their entire relationship lacks credibility. Did no one, even in 1955, not see this in the relationship upon which the film is based?
Taken individually, both characters are just as flawed. We are made to believe that Charlie is receiving dozens of calls daily from beautiful young women. The film makers clearly confused the character of Charlie, a somewhat successful talent agent, with Sinatra the famous singer/actor. Even worse is Debbie Reynolds' character. We are to believe a first time actress cast in a new Broadway play would forget to attend her first rehearsal to look at furniture?! Very irritating is her ridiculous preplanning, such as marking on the calendar her wedding date despite not even dating anyone.
The parade of young women through Charlie's is bizarre. One enters with cheese. One brings a fish. One enters & exits without a word to walk his dog. All are treated as mere objects.
David Wayne's character is certainly insulting. After initial outrage by Charlie that his best friend may have left his wife & kids back in Indianapolis, the rest of the film sees no one objecting to this married man's nightly dates with Sylvia.
A great many many smaller details constantly keep the film off kilter. Suddenly Charlie can't get a date. Innocent Jenny is on guard of Charlie but invites him into her place for a drink. A big blowout party becomes a plot point but we don't see it. Jenny is a bridesmaid for Sylvia despite being rivals and having barely met.
Even with its two popular music stars, the music is mostly limited to Reynolds & Sinatra each singing the title tune at a rehearsal.
Probably the only saving moments of this film are the innovative opening & closing credits where first Frank and then the cast sing the otherwise underwhelming title song.
Forever, Darling (1956)
A Film with a Split Personality
If ever a film had a split personality it is Forever Darling. The script dated to about 1940 and was considered for Powell/Loy and Tracey/Hepburn. It is much easier to see those more sophisticated pairings in this material than Arnaz & Ball.
The first two-thirds of the film is a talkie attempt at a High Society comedy, complete with a society reporter and others society types who appear briefly. Relaying on her wide-ranging talents of her early roles, Miss Ball seems quite comfortable portraying an Up Scale wife and I even bought into Arnaz as a scientist. But the script can't decide if this is supposed to be a semi-serious discussion of marriage issues. Certainly there are few laughs here and few seem intended.
Things really go off the rails with the introduction of Ball's Guardian Angel. Compared to a long list of outstanding portrayals of other-worldly beings by the likes of Cary Grant or Ray Ralston, viewers may feel Lucy is merely talking to a cardboard cutout of James Mason, who says little and emotes less. Lucy's session with her shrink becomes cringe-worthy when it is suggested Lucy has a sexual obsession with the real James Mason. Maybe this could have worked with Grant or Rock Hudson cast as the Angel. Maybe not.
Once the film moves outdoors to Yosemite National Park, one feels the final reels got switched and we are watching a totally different film. The camping trip sequence, ghost written by the I Love Lucy writers, is a funny, madcap adventure, more a standalone Color episode of that classic series or their previous hit, The Long, Long Trailer. Unfortunately, the success of the final slapstick only emphasizes the failure of the rest of this film.
High Wall (1947)
Interesting premise but lacking in focus.
The premise of The High Wall was enough for multiple viewings. Robert Taylor delivers a solid performance as the brain damaged pilot while Herbert Marshall, at his creepy best, is a highlight. Effective use of flashback scenes fill in the murder's gaps for both the institutionalized pilot and for the viewer.
But overall, the film lacks both a sharp focus and substantial development of multiple characters. While it is always good to see a woman as a professional, the female Dr. Lorrison just seems to wander from scene to scene without any background or motivation for her actions, which often defy logic. The producers also didn't seem to know if Audrey Totter's Dr. Lorrison was to be a vamp or a nerd.
Secondary characters also get the short shift. The pilot eagerly wants to see his young son but they are never seen together despite the murder of the boy's mother and his witnessing the sudden death of his caretaker grandmother. Nor is he seen with Dr. Lorrison after she inexplicably takes him in. Another doctor seems to have eyes for Dr. Lorrison, but this is left totally undeveloped, along with his apparent Momma's Boy complex. The worst case of these undeveloped characters is the music loving psych patient, who, while interesting and extremely well played by HB Warner, merely comes and goes without any purpose to the storyline.
Perhaps it was intended to develop each of these characters more completely. But as presented they are mere distractions to the business of solving an otherwise good mystery.
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)
A Split Vote
I saw the film "John Goldfarb- Please Come Hime" upon its first release back in 1965 mainly because it was held up in a controversy and lawsuit brought about by the University of Norte Dame and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I was 15 and don't remember much except thinking that Shirley MacLaine looked great and the Norte Dame team & coach looked just as they did on TV.
I won't rate it after all these years but I do note the ratings of others seem to be either 9 & 10 or 0 & 1. Always interesting to see such an intense split vote. But I do remember that long ago audience being mostly adults and laughing their heads off. So did I.