ashkakaylee

Last night while on a search on the internet for information about Maureen Connolly, I was lucky enough to find this movie. And wow, what a surprise it was. As a life long follower of tennis and especially of the women's game, I was thrilled to come across this seemingly almost forgotten film biopic of the fabled Little Mo.

I can say here and now it's one of the finest if not the finest made for TV movies ever made. Depicting the life of Maureen, her success's and struggles on and off the court, it does a wonderful job.

Glynnis O'Connor is positively luminous as Maureen. And gives, in my opinion, one of the great acting performances in a female lead. The many action scenes on the court are fantastic and add a gritty realism to the movie as it concentrates on her battles to defeat certain players at different stages of her career.

Michael Learned is equally stirring as the genius but ultra-strict coach, Eleanor "Teach" Tennant, who guides her to the top, falls out with her, but is movingly reconciled with her at the end. The rest of the cast are good too. And this is definitely a film worth seeing for any serious tennis fan and especially of the women's game as it reveals the life and times of one it's most iconic and cherished competitors.

This is a rather underrated little movie that bares more than a passing resemblance to Stage Door.

Despite its lack of truly famous faces, it is beautifully acted by all concerned. Frances Langford, the female lead in this, had a long and highly successful career in the media, especially in radio and later on TV and as a live performer as well as occasional appearances in movies.

She belonged to an age when talent abounded and the competition was pretty fierce, and though not exactly a marquee name in movies, she did have her moments, and definitely deserved to have had a bigger career in movies. This little movie is an excellent vehicle for her. She was a striking beauty and had a fine singing voice. The only weak part of this movie is probably the dance scene at the end. But that aside this movie is well worth watching.

Breakfast in Hollywood is a most wonderful little movie. One of many made during 1940's as just an appetizer for the main feature. Well, they don't make B movies anymore. But today most A movies would struggle to reach the heights this little movie reaches. Considering it was made as just a programmer at the time it has so much charm and class, combining as it does music, comedy, drama and romance.

The cast is stellar featuring as it does a number of famous faces from the period. And they are all in great form. And it all takes place in a single day. The atmosphere is dreamy in gorgeous black and white. Of cause it's underrated. And it's forgotten because at the time it wasn't made to be remembered above the main feature.

But for all that it was made to entertain. And 67 years after the fact, it stands out on its own as a little jewel of its time. Bonita Granville is just perfect as the quintessential young love-struck 1940's girl. But the rest of the cast are no less wonderful. I found this movie on the net. And it comes highly recommended by me.

They really don't make movies like this one anymore. Which is a shame as it has such charm and wit. And there isn't a bad scene in the film.

Both Gail Russell and Diana Lynn are wonderful as the innocent girls abroad who end up in all manner of often awkward and funny situations. As has been stated before this was a true story. Which makes it all the funnier that everything you see actually happened.

I only came across this movie by chance as I had been reading about the short tragic life of Gail Russell after seeing one her other movies "Night Has A Thousand Eyes." She shows far more talent than she ever gave herself credit for, even if she had never really wanted to be an actress.

This movie is well worth seeing.

As has been said by others, Hers To Hold, is not the greatest movie ever made story wise. But there have been much worse. I personally adore those black and white wartime romances.

The main purpose though of watching this movie is to see Deanna Durbin at her most beautiful. Rarely have I seen any actress of any period look so lovely as she does here. Without her the movie would be nothing. But with her it becomes compulsive viewing for any Durbin fan.

Joseph Cotten is excellent as the love interest. And the rest of the cast do what they had to competently. As always Deanna is very engaging in her part. She had great talent as an actress. She also had that wonderful voice, that is on display here. What a delight to hear her sing.

This is one of the great movies. One of the most satisfying movies you are ever likely to see. Any woman who has been married and reached a certain stage in their life will be able to identify with Shirley Valentine.

Pauline Collins gives one of the most memorable performances ever on screen as Shirley. It would be difficult to imagine anybody else in the part. There is so much in this movie. Every scene is a work of art. Shirley Valentine is one of the great heroines simply because she is so real. And we feel for her all the way along.

It's also very emotionally charged. In particular the scenes with Joanna Lumley's Marjorie and Shirley are particularly poignant. I won't reveal why. But it's a great scene. But they all are. There is nothing tired about this movie. It is quite simply a masterpiece. A must see.

Half a Sinner is an engaging little programmer. Less than one hour long. But never a dull moment. The tale of a bored young teacher played by Heather Angel who one day decides to break out of her boredom and go on an adventure and see some life before it's too late. On the way she gets inadvertently involved with a bunch of crooks and a dead body in a car. She also meets the man of her dreams. The story is a bit fantastic. But very entertaining and everybody plays there part well.

Heather Angel, playing the heroine of the show is a delight. She belonged to an age when Hollywood was literally swarming in talent. Many of them didn't get as far as they might have done due to how competitive the whole thing was. And probably Heather Angel deserved a better career than she actually had. This film is worth seeing for its entertainment value and I can definitely recommend it.

This little gem lasts just over an hour but packs an amazing amount into it. And none of it is dull. The pace is frenetic. But everybody does a great job to keep it going. There are some amazing acts on show. And the comedy is first rate and there are no dull moments. There simply isn't time.

Ellen Drew, the leading lady, is very beautiful and evocative in the classic 1940's style. And the rest of the cast play well around her.

The story is quite original. The tale of a miserable rich man who was a frustrated cartoonist. He hasn't smiled in years and nobody is sure why till the man's ex-wife explains about a cartoon her ex-husband once drew on the wall of a restaurant. I'm sure had the movie been made by one of the bigger studios it would be better remembered today. It's certainly worth seeing as a curiosity. And I can recommend it highly.

This is a delightful little film. Something of a forgotten gem.

It lasts only just over an hour. But manages to pack a lot into that hour. It's all perfectly paced, though. It never seems hurried. Cary Grant is just wonderful as the rich but bored Ernest Bliss who goes slumming it on the streets of 1930's London and finds something very special out there. There isn't a dull scene in the film. Nothing is wasted in the effort to entertain. And it all works very well. This is a taster of what was to come from Cary Grant and he is just superb here. He and Mary Brian have excellent chemistry together. This is definitely a little movie worth seeing.

This movie is something of a find. With so many movies made at the time, many were bound to slip under the radar. This one did, sadly. The story is engaging from the start and never droops. It's a total joy. Considering it was made by one of the smaller studios, the sets looked good and the story was excellent. But really it's the acting by the two little known leads that makes this so watchable. Dave O'Brien, playing the kind of role that would normally have to gone to Cary Grant or Joel McCrea, proves he was as good as anyone at playing screw ball comedy. Kay Aldridge is stunningly beautiful as the female lead that would normally have gone to Claudette Colbert or Jean Arthur and is a revelation. Miss Aldridge bares more than a passing resemblance to Vivien Leigh, and at times sounds like her. Which is no bad thing considering how good Vivien Leigh was. She and Dave O'Brien have great chemistry together in this. The rest of the cast are just as good and I would recommend this movie to anyone to watch.

Hollywood Canteen is a real gem of a movie. But despite all the music and delightful cameos, it's really the love story between the movie star and the soldier that keeps this movie together. Others have said it's preposterous that a famous movie star would be likely to become so involved with a simple Joe average soldier on a few days leave during the war. But I don't agree. At the time Joan Leslie's character is very young and beautiful. But also appears to be no Dumbo. Plus she's human like everybody else and see's in the young good natured if star struck soldier, a young man who is sensible, kind, generous and caring. In short,somebody she could actually fall in love with.

The chemistry between Joan Leslie and Robert Hutton in this movie as the lovers is there for all to see. So why could it not have happened in real life? There is also the tale of Hutton's friend, the Sergeant played by Dane Clark. He's a bit of a rough diamond but well-meaning and definitely funny. And he too finds love with the beautiful Janis Paige playing the ambitious studio guide who is quite delightful in the way she handles the ebullient Sergeant.

All in all this is a wonderful movie that I would recommend to anybody interested in seeing how it used to be done.

I saw this film last night on Youtube and it's remarkably good. Mona Freeman gives a stunning performance as Ziggy, the young and troubled heroine of the movie.

This is the kind of part that somebody like Jean Simmons or even Audrey Hepburn might have fitted well into. And Mona Freeman's acting here stands up to anything they might have done in the part. The rest of the cast are equally fine. Had this movie been made by one of the bigger studios of the day it would,I think, have been better none. It certainly deserves to be better none as it's definitely more than a B picture.

I loved this film. I actually found it on youtube. Most of the reviews have concentrated on the fact that all those celebrities of the wartime era were seen. And it was indeed lovely to see them especially Katharine Hepburn who was lovely as ever. And the beautiful Merle Oberon.

But for me the best part of the movie was the interaction of the soldiers and the girls. And I was especially enthralled by the performances of the little known actor William Terry as Dakota and actress Cheryl Walker as Eileen.

This was obviously their one chance to shine in a big movie and I feel they did so magnificently. Indeed without them I don't think there would have been a film at all as you can't just have a movie filled with a bunch of cameo performances.

I thought William Terry gave a lovely performance as the gentle Dakota. While Cheryl Walker I thought to be quite brilliant as the self centred Eileen who changes at the end. Indeed there were tears in my eyes at the conclusion. And it was definitely their performances that made the movie for me.

For years I had searched for this movie in the vain hope of ever finding it. Till last night I found it on Youtube. My sincere thanks to the person who uploaded it and gave me the chance at last to see this little treasure.

I'm curious to know how today's movie going audience brought up on a combination of action adventure and mindless idiocy would come to this movie. Its so far out of what's being made to today as to be from a totally different world. And yet I would like to think that people would love it for what it is, a charming piece of old world cinema.

It is possible that this movie could be made today. Though I'm not sure who would be able to play all the parts with the sincerity the cast do in the movie without going over the top. Especially I wonder who could play a character like Cluny with the charm and depth that Jennifer Jones brings to it.

Jennifer Jones's Cluny is one of the most captivating characters I've ever met on screen. So engaging, so charming, so innocent.

Jennifer Jones acting is sublime. I couldn't help but watch the different expressions on her face through each emotion she was going through. Good facial expression is always for a me a good sign that the actress is immersed fully in the part.

Charles Boyer's Adam Belinski must be the kind of man women dream about meeting but probably never will. Handsome, french accent, worldly wise, kind, gentle, understanding. He is of cause the perfect man for Cluny as against the boring Wilson played with great verve by Richard Haydn. I hated the character, lol. But I thought Haydn's performance quite brilliant too.

The rest of the cast do a fine job too. And the ending is perfect.