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Reviews
Over My Dead Body (1942)
The Worst Movie Ever Filmed
Without a doubt, this is the worst movie ever made. The plot, the acting and the characters are absolutely horrible. It makes no sense. It's a disgrace. Please don't waste your time watching it. BAH.
Peyton Place (1957)
Pat Hingle as Constance MacKenzie
I read in the 'trivia' section of this website that Joan Crawford and Pat Hingle were both interested in portraying Constance MacKenzie. I think Pat Hingle would have been an interesting choice for that pivotal role. He and Mike Rossi would have set the screen afire in their lovemaking scenes together. Joan Crawford would have been too old for the part. But Pat Hingle seems just the right age. Few people remember how he oozed with almost feral sexuality back in the 50s. If they ever remake "Peyton Place" I hope they reconsider having Pat Hingle play Constance. I think he was born for the part. All he'd need is a little rouge and some pancake.
Three Came Home (1950)
Worthwhile Comparison
Compare the superb "Three Came Home" with the overblown, uninvolving "Empire of the Sun" and see which one you prefer. "Three Came Home" is a deceptively simple narrative that draws its audience in with believable, likable characters and keeps its audience's attention with dynamic performances and a compelling plot. I heaved a sigh of relief when the family was liberated at the end of the picture.
Although both films deal with Japanese prisoner of war camps they couldn't be more different. "Empire of the Sun" is a silly film that wastes its budget on a senseless plot and vapid performances. I had no sympathy for the characters nor did I especially care what happened to them. It was a real stinker of a film.
Love Me Tonight (1932)
On the fence
I'm really on the fence about this movie. Though the score is wonderful and melodic, it is often interrupted by cheap directorial tricks. The ballad "Isn't It Romantic" would have been lovely if it had been performed straight, with no flounces. Instead it is truncated, and for me, ruined by cinematic tricks. "Lover," a superb Richard Rodgers waltz, is sung to a horse, the late Jeanette MacDonald halting her rendition to make jokes with the animal! There are many other examples of film fireworks that fizzle. Perhaps Mamoulian was anxious to show how a movie musical could be superior to the stage, but for me all that emerges are unwelcome and dated film artifices that serve only to annoy. I get the feeling that Mamoulian didn't really like the score and tried his best to submerge it. Though I'm still on the fence, I really detested this film.
Brother to Brother (2004)
poignant and provocative
I just saw this film for the first time last night on PBS and thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot, performances and the entire milieu were riveting. With the juxtaposition of modern and historical timelines I experienced the Harlem Renaissance as in no other film I've seen. Thnaks to solid writing I felt the anguish and confusion of Perry and the other characters. The screenplay made some choices that I might not have made but they were valid decisions nonetheless. I may be old fashioned, but I appreciate a film with a discernible plot, interesting setting and characters whose motivations I can understand and for me this film had it all.
Troy (2004)
A few plot adjustments
I thought the film "Troy" was a superb effort in film-making. The acting, cinematography and technical aspects of the movie were top-notch. I do, however, have a few quibbles with the screenwriters. First of all, I think it would have been more interesting if Hector had been a woman, perhaps a lounge singer. Then they could have included a couple of upbeat songs to get the audience through all that plot. Secondly, there shouldn't have been a war over Helen. That seemed a tad overwrought and those dusty battle scenes could have been avoided. Paris should have realized his naivete and found a more suitable partner back in Troy and raised a nice family. I think they should have written more funny lines for Priam, too, especially when he's speaking in front of his cabinet. The whole setting should have been moved out of those dreary desert locations and played perhaps in the mountains or on a riverboat. And lastly, neither Hector nor Achilles should have been killed. The only one who really deserved to die was Andromache. Other than that, it was an interesting film.
Beautiful Thing (1996)
touching and heartwarming
I don't usually react emotionally to films, but I must admit that "Beautiful Thing" left me sobbing. The writer, director and actors created characters of such depth and charm that I was able to feel their pain and share their joy. The two young men were superbly drawn and portrayed. Except for the annoying Leah, the ancillary characters were supportive without being intrusive. It was a delight from start to finish.
I share with some other posters a puzzlement over why Sandra left Tony at the end just when he was demonstrating a strength of character lacking in the first two-thirds of the film. He was turning into someone I wouldn't mind knowing. I was also somewhat dismayed by the drug use and rampant profanity in the film. I can only hope that they were trying to be 'realistic.' I guess I'm just old-fashioned.
But despite these glitches, the film was a triumph. I loved it. I will view it over and over and savor the love shared by these two lads.
Get Real (1998)
stunning and touching
I just viewed "Get Real" for the first time last night and found it to be one of the most powerful yet gentle films ever made about the gay dilemma -- how can anyone maintain a real and lasting relationship with another person when he can barely be true to himself. The film was staggeringly beautiful to watch, especially the ball sequence where the two adolescent male lovers are physically dancing with their female partners but are spiritually locked in each others arms, so to speak, across a crowded dance floor. I can't remember ever seeing more inventive or evocative camera work. The acting was so subtle and textured, the dialog so genuine, it was impossible not to be drawn into the lives of these troubled young people. The final scene with the two boys on the bench by the field was profoundly touching. I trembled with emotion at the end of their affair, their awakening experience. This is a wonderful film, brilliantly structured and filled with nuance, to be viewed over and over.