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East Side/West Side: Who Do You Kill? (1963)
A Harlem couple faces the ultimate tragedy
This episode remains controversial after more than 40 years. The crushing oppression of racism and ghetto life that still taints this country is hauntingly portrayed and the acting is brilliant, particularly that of James Earl Jones.
"East Side West Side" was canceled after 26 episodes largely because America in 1963, as now, was not ready to confront the effects of racism on the society. CBS affiliates in the Deep South refused to air this episode, and sponsors were unwilling to underwrite the program.
Filmed on location in New York, the show's hard edge and unflinching honesty are wonderful to watch. Unlike its counterpart "Naked City," which, while still a great show, is somewhat dated, East Side West Side may still be ahead of its time. A must see!
East Side/West Side: My Child on Monday Morning (1963)
Powerful story and performances
I viewed this episode at the museum of TV and Radio in NYC. This series was hard-hitting and full of humor and pathos.
Being a die-hard fan of "Naked City" and its portrayal of NYC in the early '60s, I can only say that "East Side - West Side" is even better in showing the grit, grimness, racial tension and the disparity between the "haves" and "have nots" in the huge labyrinth of life in New York.
Some stories were so controversial, particularly in dealing with race issues, that episodes of the show was not aired in several Southern states in 1963-64.
My only hope is that someday the 26 episodes is series will be made commercially available to viewers by the copyright holders.
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Jazz, Intrigue and Awesome Cinematography!
Deception, betrayal, slander and the most acrid, corrosive dialog you'll ever encounter on film. All set against the lights of Broadway and the urban jungle of Manhattan.
The film was shot in late 1956-early 1957 and the on-location night shots of Broadway and Times Square add the realism which makes this film superb.
The Elmer Bernstein score and the live jazz performances by Chico Hamilton and company together with Tony Curtis as a completely amoral press agent create a tension that's incredible to watch. Curtis' portrayal is BRILLIANT.
Burt Lancaster as the ruthless columnist and Martin Milner as the honest arrow of a jazz musician are a metaphor for good and evil - they are also riveting to watch.
The dialog throughout is poisoned and very effective: "I'd hate to take a bite out of you...you're a cookie full of arsenic!" If you love jazz and Manhattan "the way it was," this is a MUST-SEE.
Edge of the City (1957)
A brilliant film noir
I first saw this film on cable in the 80's and it rocked me to the core. It showed up again on TV about six months ago.
Filmed on location, the black and white cinematography graphically portrays 1950's New York as the gritty "urban jungle" at a time when there was far more industry and port activity in the city, particularly in Manhattan.
John Cassavetes always brought a special intensity to his acting, and is magnificent in the role of the army dodger. His brief 1959 TV series "Johnny Staccato" is also a joy to watch.
Sidney Poitier and (later in the film) Ruby Dee bring freshness and vitality to their roles. But it is Jack Warden's superb acting as the vicious, brutal shift boss that grabbed my attention. To get an idea of Warden's versatility, watch this film, then check out a 1962 episode of the TV series "Naked City" entitled "Specter of the Rose Street Gang (available on video)." If you are a fan of film noir, this is a must see. Enjoy!
Route 66 (1960)
An amazing snapshot of a bygone America
I've just seen several episodes of Route 66, which I remember from reruns in the late 60's. The location shots are absolutely wonderful - how Martin Milner and George Maharis survived all the travel to shoot on location is amazing in itself.
The story lines deal with people and their personal lives in a very intimate way. Wonderful "guest stars" too - from Robert Redford and Robert Duvall to Walter Matthau and Jack Lord.
I grew to appreciate Milner and Maharis from earlier parts they played -Milner as the stoic, sincere jazz guitarist in "Sweet Smell of Success," in 1957 and Maharis in the first hour-long episode of Naked City in 1960. My kind of actors.
All in all, Route 66 is a great show.
The Andy Griffith Show: Opie's Hobo Friend (1961)
A poignant story with a great message
The Andy Griffith episodes, especially the first two seasons (1960-62), are wonderful tales (fables, in fact!) about right and wrong. Don Knotts and the rest of the supporting cast offer great comic counterpoint.
This episode aired in 1961, and is Buddy Ebsen's (Jed Clampett of the Beverly Hillbillies) only appearance as a guest star on the Griffith show.
Ebsen is perfect as a homespun visitor to Mayberry who influences young Opie in less than desirable ways. The plot has elements of the story in the 1993 film "A Bronx Tale," in which a boy is influenced by two mentors - his father and a another man of questionable morals.
The story in this episode is, of course, quickly resolved with a happy ending and right prevails. I would recommend it highly to anyone with young children - the family should watch it together!
The Subterraneans (1960)
Great music but a one-dimensional caricature of the Beats
I just viewed this film for the first time. Janice Rule and Leslie Caron are excellent given the superfluous material; George Peppard is stiff and unconvincing.
If you take this film literally, the Beats represented party-loving, self-serving hedonists, rebelling against society with no particular purpose. In fact, the Beats and their literature provided a needed counterpoint to the conformity and staid complacency of American life in the 1950s. They were the forerunners of the Hippies, for sure.
Despite a shallow story line, the film is of historical interest as to how Hollywood (and maybe mainstream America) viewed the Beat generation in 1960, when the film was released.
The music is absolutely marvelous - it's great to see and hear jazz giants like Gerry Mulligan (also in an acting role), Art Pepper, Art Farmer and Shelly Manne.
A true period piece, worth seeing - once.
Life with Lucy (1986)
Nostalgic but hopelessly dated
If you loved Lucy, you couldn't help but enjoy seeing her again in her last, very short-lived show, especially the episode with guest star Audrey Meadows.
Unfortunately, the writing didn't evolve at all from her 1960's "Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" series. Also, casting a very old Gale Gordon for comic counterpoint added more than a little tedium to the experience.
Lucy occasionally consulted ex-husband Desi Arnaz (who had a great sense of comedy) as to what worked and what didn't in her later shows. He was very ill when this show was produced and presumably couldn't offer much advice.
Somehow, "Love With Lucy" seemed to be a copy and paste affair, with little forethought as to what would please current (1986) viewers. Thus, it was hopelessly dated, and Lucy doing even mild slapstick at age 75 just didn't click.
A sad conclusion to an otherwise stellar career.
The Harder They Fall (1956)
A Satisfying Conclusion to Humphrey Bogart's Career
The seamy side of the boxing world is the subject of this interesting film. A third-rate amateur boxer (Mike Lane) is brought from South America to New York and exploited by a corrupt promoter (Rod Steiger).
Steiger hires out-of-work columnist Bogart as a press agent for a big publicity build-up, fixing fights across the country and making a profit for Steiger and his "boxing club." The name of the game is money, and Bogart struggles with his conscience, ethics and the disapproval of his wife (Jan Sterling) as he promotes the young fighter, who is duped into thinking he is invincible.
Eventually, the fighter faces the match that can't be fixed in New York with (real-life) boxing champ Max Baer. Lane is told about the previous fixed fights and knows he'll be decimated, but decides to fight Baer anyway to save face. Out of guilt and in sympathy, Bogart gives Lane his share of the purse (after he finds out that Lane has been fleeced out of his winnings), then puts him on a plane back to South America.
Sadly, Bogart was diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus during filming; reportedly, some of his lines had to be dubbed by others in post-production.
Despite his illness, he gave an impressive performance, together with some wonderful character actors such as Edward Andrews, Nehemiah Persoff and Herbie Faye.
Rod Steiger's versatility is well demonstrated here, as his role as the corrupt promoter sharply contrasts the gentle soul he portrayed in the TV version of "Marty" two years earlier.
The fight scenes with Max Baer are also very well done, and the on-location shots of 1955 Manhattan and downtown Chicago add stark realism.
The Harder They Fall is a film definitely worth viewing.
Naked City (1958)
One of the best police dramas in television history
Naked City is an anthology series. Its stories are realistic and filled with compassion, pathos and immense human interest. The characters honestly portray the ambitions and emotions of people, rich and poor, living in New York.
The city is as much the star of the show as the actors. Filmed in black and white on location, the show visually captures the New York cityscape in the early 1960's, before the major building boom began.
The excellent cinematography, the forthright performances of the cast and guest performers, and the first-rate writing and direction make Naked City a gem to watch.