spotted-owl

Ivy (1947) is an excellent "gaslight noir" film, with elements of Hitchcock and Victorian Gothic. Joan Fontaine is superb as the beautiful villainess Ivy. The film is visually stunning, with a suspenseful storyline. This rare gem deserves more recognition.

Ivy is a beautiful blonde woman with a soft voice and elegant manners. She wears gorgeous Edwardian fashions, and extravagant hats with veils. However, beneath the alluring exterior is a cold hearted woman who is obsessed with having beautiful things, such as gowns, jewelry and opulent apartments. She is ruthless in her pursuit of beautiful items, to the point of murder.

Ivy spent all her husband's money, and her lover is a doctor who cares for the poor. Neither man can give Ivy the beautiful things she craves.

When Ivy meets the much older multimillionaire Miles Rushworth, she plots to scheme her way into his heart.

There is a dramatic scene on Rushworth's yacht where Ivy tries to seduce him. Ivy appears in the doorway, looking gorgeous in a low-cut evening gown. Rushworth is tempted, but tells her that he does not become involved with married women.

When Ivy's husband refuses to divorce her, she resorts to poisoning him, and then frames her lover for the murder. Suspense builds as the police try to determine who murdered Ivy's husband.

Ivy hides her poison in a black purse with a strange clasp in the shape of a woman's face. The female face clasp is symbolic, as poison was a woman's weapon in the Victorian and Edwardian eras, because it was secretive and nonconfrontational.

This is a "gaslight noir" film, set in Edwardian England, but with 1940s noir light and shadow, including the iconic noir slatted shadows.

The movie has some Hitchcockian elements, such as a cool blonde, a man wrongfully accused, mirrors, and a build up of suspense.

Victorian Gothic elements include the spooky clairvoyant woman, and her assistant who plays an eerie tune on the piano. The eerie music recurs throughout the film, and adds to the atmosphere.

Legendary art director and producer William Cameron Menzies gave the film stunning visuals and atmosphere. The sets are lavish. Ivy's costumes are gorgeous confections of lace, chiffon and glitter.

This film has a suspenseful storyline, excellent performances, lavish sets and costumes, great atmosphere, dramatic noir lighting, and a beautiful villainess. Hopefully a DVD will be released soon.

"Lady of the Tropics" (1939) is a romantic melodrama set in Indochina (now Vietnam). Hedy Lamarr gives a sensitive and moving performance as Manon de Vargnes. Lamarr's beautiful face expresses her emotions. Themes include love, racism, power, revenge and personal sacrifice. This is an underrated film.

Manon is a biracial temple dancer whose father was French, and mother was Indochinese. She wants a passport to Paris, but the racist laws do not allow passports to be given to "half-castes." Biracial people are treated as second-class citizens in Indochina, which was a French colony in the 1930s.

Manon is beautiful, sensitive and mysterious, with a Mona Lisa smile. She has a tendency to tell lies to avoid conflicts with men. Manon is romantically pursued by the powerful and unscrupulous businessman Pierre Delaroche (Joseph Schildkraut), who is also biracial. A king in the Angkor Wat jungle wants to add Manon to his harem of wives. However, Manon falls in love with Bill Carey (Robert Taylor), a handsome, kind, and impoverished American.

Pierre Delaroche proposes marriage to Manon, and she lies and says yes. Manon probably lied to avoid offending the very powerful man with a blunt rejection. However, this lie is her fatal flaw. When Pierre finds out that Manon has married Bill, he wants revenge, and prevents Manon from obtaining a passport. Bill is unable to find work, and they struggle to make ends meet.

Manon realizes that the only way to make Bill happy and obtain a passport is to make a deal with with the devious Pierre. She attends Puccini's opera "Manon Lescaut" with Pierre. (The opera is about a woman named Manon, who becomes the mistress of a rich older man, but is forgiven by the man she truly loves.) It is strongly implied that Manon sacrificed her virtue to Pierre. After doing so, Bill is given a job and Manon has her passport. However, Bill finds out about the terrible sacrifice Manon has made for him. The ending is poignant.

The sets and costumes are lavish. The scenes at Angkor Wat are especially beautiful, with the huge lotus bud shaped towers in the background. Temple dancers perform. Manon looks like a goddess in a glittery Indochinese costume. (See a link to this costume in the message board.)

Hedy Lamarr's costumes, designed by Adrian, are gorgeous. She wears beautiful dresses with native embroidery, and veils with beads.

Nina (Gloria Franklin) sings a heartbreaking torch song in the local nightclub.

The film received an Oscar nomination for best black and white cinematography.

"Lady of the Tropics" (1939) has a good storyline, excellent acting, exotic tropical sets, beautiful costumes, and superb cinematography. This is an underrated film, and it should be released on DVD. Highly recommended.

Hedy Lamarr starred in another film with a similar concept, titled "A Lady without Passport" (1950). The 1950 movie is a good film noir. I prefer "Lady of the Tropics" (1939) because it is visually beautiful, romantic, and emotionally poignant.

"The Princess Comes Across" (1936) is one of Carole Lombard's best films. Lombard gives a brilliant impersonation of Greta Garbo. (Princess Olga's character is based on Swedish actress Greta Garbo, who obtained a Hollywood contract and sailed to America.) Lombard looks like Garbo with her sleek hairstyle, curved eyebrows, eyeliner, and mysterious expression. She also emulates Garbo's languid movements, expressive hand gestures, and deep voice with the Swedish accent. Her fashions are in Garbo's style, with fur coats, capes, and a slouch hat.

Lombard plays Wanda Nash, a Brooklyn showgirl trying to break into movies by pretending to be the Swedish Princess Olga. This comedy is based on movie casting trends at that time. With the great successes of European movie stars such as Garbo and Dietrich, Hollywood movie studios were seeking sophisticated European actors and actresses for films. A book claimed British actress Elissa Landi was the granddaughter of an Empress, and she appeared in her first Hollywood film in 1931. (See my posting on the message board for more about Elissa Landi.)

It is delightful to see Lombard smoothly transition between her formal Garbo persona, and her lively American personality.

Fred MacMurray is handsome and cocky as the American bandleader and concertina musician "King" Mantell who falls for the faux princess. MacMurray and Lombard have great chemistry.

The movie combines zany romantic comedy with a murder mystery. There is an international team of detectives who are seeking a notorious murderer hiding on the ship.

The sets and costumes are lavish. The suites and ballroom in the ship are Art Deco style, with murals. Lombard's costumes are gorgeous. The cinematography is excellent. The crime part of the film has noirish shadows on the walls, slatted window shades, and foggy night scenes.

This is a great film, with zany romantic comedy, murder mystery, witty dialog, and lavish sets and costumes. The best part is Lombard's superb impersonation of Garbo. Highly recommended.

"Wicked as They Come" (1956) is an excellent drama which combines film noir, melodrama and psychological elements. Arlene Dahl gives a superb performance as Kathy, a complex character. Kathy is a beautiful and wicked woman who hates men. She ruthlessly uses her smoldering beauty to acquire money and social status. Her demeanor is elegant but cool. Beneath her glamorous allure, Kathy has a heart of ice.

Kathy lives in the slums, and works at a dress factory. However, she is ambitious. Kathy wins a beauty contest by flirting with the judges, and receives stylish clothing and a trip to Europe.

In London, Kathy becomes involved with photographer Larry Buckham, who has a hot temper. Using Larry's credit, Kathy purchases gowns, furs and jewelry, and leaves Larry with the bills.

Kathy obtains a secretarial job at a large advertising agency in London, and uses her feminine allure with the much older and married executive Stephan Collins (Herbert Marshall) to gain money and status.

There is a classic bad girl confrontation scene between Collins' wife Virginia and Kathy. Virginia opens her checkbook and offers to pay Kathy to stop seeing her husband.

Kathy is disdainful of most men. However, she seems fond of Tim O'Bannion (Phil Carey), a handsome television producer with the agency. O'Bannion senses that Kathy has a tragic reason to hate men.

There are dramatic plot twists, and Kathy becomes ensnared in a murder situation. At this point the movie shifts from melodrama to film noir, with a mysterious prowler hiding in the shadows.

Kathy's fashions are gorgeous. She wears slim suits and gowns which accent her hourglass figure. Most of her clothes are black, symbolizing her amoral character. She also wears fur coats, hats, gloves, and a robe trimmed with fur. Fashion is important for bad girls, because Kathy's glamorous clothes help her attract wealthy men.

The movie was filmed in England, with sets of Paris. This is an underrated film. Hopefully a DVD will be released soon.

"Love before Breakfast" (1936) is a comedy about wealthy industrialist Scott Miller (Preston Foster) who pursues beautiful socialite Kay Colby (Carole Lombard), even though she is engaged to another man. Scott and Kay have a love-hate relationship, and there are a lot of zany antics. The movie is enjoyable. The Art Deco sets are gorgeous, and the costumes are glamorous.

Kay is smart and sophisticated, and can easily match wits with Scott. The storyline is loosely based on "The Taming of the Shrew."

There are many amusing scenes in the film. Scott and Kay go horseback riding in the woods, where they play tricks on each other. There are more pranks at a costume party. The scene at a posh restaurant where tables rotate around a dance floor has a surrealistic and dizzy quality. Kay has an adorable little puppy. The dialog is wicked and witty, and the zany ending is hilarious.

The film is visually gorgeous, with lavish sets and costumes. It begins with some impressive low angle shots of the Empire State Building. Kay lives in a stylish Art Deco apartment.

Carole Lombard is glamorous in her elegant gowns and fur coats. At the costume party, Lombard looks stunning in a showgirl costume with a feathered skirt and headdress.

The movie takes a dark plot twist with the black eye incident. During a brawl, Scott accidentally gives Kay a black eye. Kay goes to the beauty parlor, but Scott pays the beautician to leave, so he can treat her black eye. Although the black eye incident is presented as comedy, it comes across as disturbing and creepy. The film was promoted with a movie poster showing Kay with a black eye.

Here is some trivia. In the 1930s, American photographer Walker Evans took a famous series of photographs of the rural South. One of the photos shows two houses, with the "Love Before Breakfast" movie poster displayed on a wooden fence. (See the message board for more about the photograph.)

Except for the black eye incident, this is an entertaining film. Carole Lombard is beautiful and witty. The movie has zany antics, superb cinematography, lavish Art Deco sets, and elegant costumes.

"Fools for Scandal" (1938) is a delightful comedy about the romance of a movie star (Carole Lombard) with her French chef (Fernand Gravet). Carole Lombard is glamorous and sassy, and Gravet is charming, zany and fun. The dialog is clever and witty.

American movie star Kay Winters is traveling incognito in Montmartre, Paris. She disguises herself in a hat and a brunette wig, to avoid publicity. Kay meets Rene, a handsome Frenchman. Although Rene is penniless, he is charming and an expert cook. He is also a marquis, which Kay does not know for most of the film.

Kay and Rene go to a jazz club, where Les Hite and his orchestra perform. Jeni Le Gon sings and dances.

When Kay leaves for London, Rene pursues her, and Kay eventually hires him as her chef. Kay's boyfriend Phillip (Ralph Bellamy) is an insurance businessman with a bland personality, who contrasts with Rene's zany character.

At the beauty parlor, rumors swirl about the movie star and her cook. Fifteen of Kay's gossipy friends crowd onto her bedroom sofa to find out about the relationship. Tabloid reporters wait outside her house.

The "Noah's Ark" costume party where the guests wear masks of their favorite animals is hilarious!

Kay and Phillip have an engagement dinner which is totally zany. Rene serves the entrees wearing an 18th century costume with culottes and a powdered wig. Phillip and Kay do not like the snail (escargot) entree. Kay wears a stunning black evening gown to the dinner.

The ending is sweet.

The sets of Montmartre, Paris, and Kay's lavish Art Deco house, are superb. Lombard wears many glamorous gowns and furs.

This is an underrated film. Hopefully a DVD will be released soon. Highly recommended.

"Lady in the Dark" (1944) is a visually spectacular film. The surrealistic dream sequences are stunning, with glamorous costumes, lavish sets, and multicolored swirling fog, all in vivid Technicolor. This movie has some of the most extravagant and expensive costumes in film history. "Lady in the Dark" (1944) is one of the great fashion epics of film.

Liza Elliott (Ginger Rogers) is a fashion magazine editor-in-chief. She is a hardworking, serious woman, and wears plain suits. Liza is having an affair with a married publisher. Charley Johnson (Ray Milland) is Liza's wisecracking advertising manager.

However, Liza is close to a nervous breakdown. She sees a psychoanalyst to interpret her dreams. Liza has a Blue Dream, a Wedding Dream in gold and white, and a Circus Dream that is multicolored. The dreams represent Liza's subconscious. The final scenes of all the dreams are bizarre and unsettling, reflecting Liza's subconscious unresolved issues.

In the Blue Dream, Liza wears a beautiful blue ballgown. Liza's psychoanalyst suggests that she really wants to be glamorous.

In the Wedding Dream, she wears a fairy tale wedding dress, with an elaborate headdress and a long train.

In the Circus Dream, Liza wears a spectacular dress of mink fur, lined with pink satin and gold sequins. She performs a sultry song and dance number, shows her legs and sings "The Saga of Jenny." This dream is especially colorful, in shades of pink, green, and yellow.

Director Mitchell Leisen designed the costumes, including the famous mink gowns. Leisen worked as a costume designer, before he became a director. Two mink dresses were made. The first mink dress, lined with glass rubies and emeralds, cost $35,000 to make. However, this dress was too heavy for dancing. A second version of the mink dress was created, lined with sequins, which was lighter so that Ginger Rogers could dance in it. Both dresses are shown in the movie. The dress with the glass jewels was donated to the Smithsonian Institution.

Ginger Rogers' performance is excellent. She effectively portrays a variety of different roles: serious fashion executive, troubled woman in psychoanalysis, and sultry singer and dancer.

"Lady in the Dark" (1944) has artistic merit, and should not be dismissed because it is politically incorrect. The storyline is dated, and some of the dialog has an anti-feminist sharp edge. A simple revision of the script which eliminates the anti-feminist aspects, would have improved the storyline. Also, the lovely song "My Ship" should have been included. However, the movie remains an artistic achievement, a colorful fashion epic of glitz and glamour.

"Of Human Bondage" (1964) is the third film version of the classic story by W. Somerset Maugham. The 1964 version is excellent, with Kim Novak as the beautiful waitress Mildred who bewitches Philip, a medical student. This film focuses on the dark romance between Mildred and Philip. Novak gives an emotionally powerful performance as she transforms from a sensuous, charming beauty into a gaunt, icy prostitute. The story is set in Edwardian London, around 1915. There are some Gothic horror elements in the film.

Kim Novak's portrayal of Mildred is the most sensual and alluring, compared with the shrill vixens of the 1934 and 1946 films. Novak gives a fascinating multifaceted performance of Mildred as a flirtatious, emotionally fragile woman, who degrades into an icy, forlorn prostitute. Mildred tells Philip that although she is a lowly waitress, she is also a lady. Mildred is unfaithful to Philip, and makes bad choices in men, who use her and leave her unemployed and impoverished. She eventually spirals downward into a Gothic nightmare world of prostitution at a slummy bordello.

Laurence Harvey gives a good performance as the obsessed, well-mannered Philip, but Kim Novak is the star of the film.

Novak is very alluring and sensuous as she tries to win back Philip's love. She wears a beautiful dress decorated with delicate feathers. However, Philip spurns her. She responds with icy rage, and leaves.

There are elements of Gothic horror in the film. Macabre skeletons are often shown, foreshadowing Mildred's death.

In an eerie scene, Philip wanders in the night through dark, narrow alleys searching for Mildred. He walks past the prostitutes, who appear as pale wraiths in the night. He finds Mildred. She looks like a ghost, with heavy white powder on her face, lots of black eyeliner, and dark lipstick. Her pallid face contrasts with her black feathered hat and dress.

In another Gothic nightmare scene, Philip walks down a dark stairway into a dungeon-like bordello. Mildred has tragically sunk to the lowest level of prostitution. She is ghostly pale and has dark shadows around her eyes. Her hair sticks out in unkempt spikes. She is irrational from syphilis.

Philip visits his friends, the Athelny family. In a romantic woodland scene next to a creek, Philip becomes interested in pretty brunette Sally Athelny. Sally is sweet and sensible, and contrasts with the sensuous but flighty Mildred.

The ending is sad. In a poignant hospital scene, Mildred dies. She is laid to rest in the cemetery of a small church. A locomotive passes by the funeral, which symbolizes that Philip has moved past his obsession, and is ready for a new life with Sally.

The Edwardian sets are elaborate. There is a lovely outdoor dance gazebo, with white lattices. The lovers dine in an elegant restaurant, with their reflections shown in the mirrored wall. They also attend an opera performance. Philip rents a room for Mildred, which is decorated with ornate patterned wallpaper and tapestries. The medical school is in a stately Neoclassical building.

The black and white lighting is dramatic, with high contrast between dark and light. White steam from the locomotives fills the dark train station. The prostitute alley and bordello are very dark, with ghostly white faces of the fallen women.

There are two recurring symbols in the film: paintings of female figures, and skeletons. The paintings of the females represent Love, and the skeletons represent Death.

Novak's costumes are wonderful. She looks charming wearing a hat with flowers, and she is mysterious when she wears a hat with black veils covering her face. Some of her dresses are glamorous, and other costumes are shabby-chic. On the original movie poster, her dress with feathers is pink.

The opening credits show sculptures by Auguste Rodin, including "The Kiss" and "Eternal Idol."

This is an excellent, underrated film. Kim Novak's performance as an alluring waitress and icy prostitute is emotionally powerful. The Edwardian sets and costumes are lavish. The scenes of the bordello are a Gothic nightmare. This film should be released on DVD.

Here are seven reasons why "Sidewalks of London" (1938) is an excellent film: (1) great acting by the legendary film stars Vivien Leigh, Charles Laughton and Rex Harrison (2) good story contrasting the street buskers with theatre stars (3) location filming of London's theatre district (4) interesting portrayal of buskers (5) beautiful black and white cinematography (6) historical importance (7) excellent music score. The story involves themes of love, social class and ambition. Vivien Leigh is charming as a busker.

The movie was filmed on location at St. Martin's Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue, Cambridge Circus and Piccadilly Circus. ('Circus' refers to a round space at a street intersection.)

"Sidewalks of London" (aka "St. Martin's Lane") shows the interesting subculture of the buskers, who are singers, musicians and dancers that perform on the streets. The actual busker group "The Luna Boys" are in some scenes.

The film begins with a night scene of the theatre district. Neon signs glitter in the darkness. A pretty female busker sings "London Love Song" on the street. Charles Staggers (Charles Laughton) is a poetry-reciting busker who sees Liberty (Vivien Leigh) stealing a gold cigarette case. Liberty was raised in an orphanage, and now survives as a pickpocket.

Charles follows Liberty to a vacant house. In a beautiful scene, Liberty dances in the moonlight shining on the floor, to the music "Vivien's Waltz." Charles sees Liberty dancing and recognizes her talent.

Charles lives in a garret under the roof of a rundown Victorian apartment, and Liberty moves into one of the rooms. There are some nice scenes of the everyday life of the buskers. A cute black-and-white stray cat appears at the window of Charles' garret, which Charles takes in. Charles mends his clothes on his sewing machine. Liberty, who is 19 years old, bakes Charles a birthday cake, and gives him a party for his 40th birthday.

Charles, Liberty and some busker friends create a performance troupe. They sing, dance and play the harmonica in front of the Holborn Empire Theatre. Liberty is charming, dancing in her vaudeville costume of top hat, vest, and striped trousers.

Harley Prentiss (Rex Harrison), a successful song writer, sees Liberty dancing and notices her ambition. He becomes her career mentor and her lover.

Liberty's career flourishes, and she gets the lead in an extravagant 1930s musical, titled "Straw Hat in the Rain." There are many backstage scenes of rehearsals. Liberty becomes a famous musical star, surrounded by fans requesting autographs.

One theme in the film is love. Charles is in love with Liberty, but his feelings are unrequited. Liberty has sentimental feelings of friendship toward Charles. In a poignant scene, Liberty arranges a theatre audition for Charles, but he realizes that he belongs with the lively,free-spirited buskers.

Another theme is social class. The wealthy theatre stars and patrons contrast with the street buskers. Charles' small garret contrasts with Harley Prentiss' posh Art Deco penthouse. His Art Deco apartment has mirrored walls, white furniture, glass block windows, and a magnificent view of the city.

Liberty and Charles now live in different worlds. Liberty lives in the glittering inside world of the theatre, and Charles lives in the outside world of the street buskers. The ending is bittersweet.

The performances of Leigh, Laughton and Harrison are superb. Liberty is ambitious and temperamental, yet also charming and sentimental. Charles is a boyish, boisterous man with a lot of heart. Harrison is excellent as the suave and sophisticated theatre insider.

The black and white cinematography is excellent. A sweeping camera shot shows the impressive London cityscape with St. Paul's Cathedral, immediately followed by a camera shot of the crooked chimney pipes on Charles' roof.

The night scenes are beautifully filmed, with high contrast between light and dark. Liberty's luminous face contrasts with the dark night background. The theatre lights glitter in the evening.

Vivien Leigh is always beautiful in her 1930s fashions. As a pickpocket, she wears a black beret, a man's tie, and a narrow skirt. After she becomes a star, she wears a beautiful white gown with a black hat and long black gloves.

This is a historically important film, because it shows the theatre district in 1938, before it was severely damaged in 1940-41, during World War II. The Holborn Empire Theatre, shown in the film, was destroyed in the Blitz. (See my posting on the message board for more on this topic.)

"Sidewalks of London" (1938) deserves a DVD with high quality digital remastering, and extras about London's theatre district, the buskers, and the great actors in the film. Highly recommended.

"Of Human Bondage" (1946) is a moody tale of romantic obsession, set in Victorian England. Philip is a sensitive gentleman who becomes passionately obsessed with Mildred, a beautiful lower-class vixen who is selfish and ill-tempered. The film is based on the classic novel by W. Somerset Maugham.

There are five reasons why the 1946 movie is the best version. First, Eleanor Parker is perfect as Mildred, the beautiful, shrill vixen. Second, the film is set in the late 1800s and has Victorian costumes and sets. Third, the lighting of the night scenes is dark and moody. Fourth, the musical score is excellent. Fifth, the film was directed by Edmund Goulding, known for his elegant and refined films. He directed classics including "Grand Hotel" (1932), "Dark Victory" (1939) and "The Razor's Edge" (1946).

Other versions of "Of Human Bondage" include the famous 1934 version with Bette Davis, and a 1964 version. The 1934 version was set in the 1930s.

The 1946 film has great atmosphere, with Victorian costumes and sets. Horse-drawn carriages travel along the cobblestone streets. Women wear elegant gowns with hats. Philip and Mildred spend a gloomy, misty day at Brighton beach. The entrance to the elaborate amusement pier is shown in the background.

Mildred's costumes are in a tawdry-chic glamour style. Her jackets, skirts and hats do not match, and are decorated with sequins and feathers.

The lighting is generally dark. Most of the scenes occur at night. There is high contrast between dark and light. The narrow, dark cobblestone streets are lit with gaslights. In one scene, Mildred appears in a tiny bright window wearing a black gown, looking out at the vast night. The darkness of the scenes gives the film a moody look.

Eleanor Parker gives a superb performance as Mildred. She is alternately flirtatious and mean-spirited, and is prone to shrill outbursts of anger. Paul Henreid is also excellent as Philip, the gentleman who loves the wrong woman.

The film begins in the Latin Quarter of Paris in 1897, at an artists' masquerade ball. One partygoer wears a skeleton costume, which is symbolic of death. Philip lives in an artist's garret. He is morose, because he wanted to be an artist, but his art instructors informed him that he is not talented. Philip leaves for London to attend medical school, and moves into a Victorian flat.

Philip is a gentleman who is looking for passionate love. He is not charming or handsome, and is afflicted with a clubfoot, but he is kind, intelligent and well-mannered.

When Philip meets Mildred working as a waitress at a Victorian tavern, he is completely obsessed, and wants to marry her. However, she does not love him, and is often scornful and derisive to him. Mildred consistently chooses the wrong men, handsome charmers who use her and then leave.

Nora Nesbit (Alexis Smith) is an accomplished writer, and she loves Philip. However, she is too ambitious for Philip, and she does not understand his love of art.

Mildred's affairs with other men makes Phillip's passion grow cold. When Mildred becomes pregnant and is abandoned by a callous lover, she resorts to prostitution to survive. Philip feels sorry for her, and tries to help her by giving her room and board, in exchange for domestic duties.

There is a dramatic scene on Christmas Eve. Philip plans to spend Christmas with his friends, the Athelny family, instead of with Mildred. When Philip rejects her romantic advances, she becomes enraged. In a whirlwind of fury, Mildred screams as Philip departs, wrecks his apartment, burns his money and leaves.

Philip later hears the tragic news that Mildred and her baby are dying. He sadly visits Mildred in the hospital. When Mildred dies, Philip's strange obsession also dies.

In the springtime, Philip finds true happiness with the Athelny family, and plans to marry their young, proper daughter Sally. He has found joy in marriage, work and family.

This film has interesting themes. Romantic obsession. Unrequited love. Social class structure. Falling in love with the wrong person. The tragic consequences of bad choices and selfishness. The happiness of family.

The 1946 film "Of Human Bondage" has been underrated, and deserves more recognition. This movie has excellent acting, outstanding Victorian sets and costumes, moody night lighting, a great musical score, and skillful directing by Edmund Goulding. It should be on DVD. Highly recommended.

"Ruby Gentry" (1952) is an intense melodrama about a love-hate relationship, obsessive love, social class injustice, and revenge. Ruby (Jennifer Jones) is a sultry young woman who lives near a swamp in the small town of Braddock, North Carolina. She has black hair and a porcelain complexion. Her hourglass figure looks great in jeans and shirt. Most of the men in town desire her.

Ruby is rejected by the townspeople because she is poor and from the wrong side of the tracks. She also intimidates people with her beauty, wild spirit and strong will. The tempestuous beauty is a hellcat one minute, and sweet the next. She endures many put-downs from the snobby townspeople. As the film progresses, Ruby changes from a wild-spirited but basically good person into a cold, powerful woman who takes vindictive revenge on the town.

Ruby is obsessed with Boake Tackman (Charlton Heston), a handsome rogue from a local aristocratic family that became impoverished. They have a love-hate relationship, with a lot of passion and fighting. In one scene, Ruby the hellcat scratches Boake's face, but he doesn't seem to mind. However, Boake is driven by his ambition to restore his family's fortune by turning his land into a productive farm. He marries a local socialite, and then suggests that Ruby become his mistress. Ruby is insulted and angry.

Jim Gentry (Karl Malden), a local rich man, pursues Ruby, and she marries him. Now she is "Ruby Gentry." ("Gentry" means upper class. A ruby is a gemstone symbolizing love and passion.) Jim is a kind and decent person, and Ruby truly loves him. However, at a party, Ruby's obsession with Boake leads her into a romantic encounter with him. (In this scene, she is wearing a beautiful chiffon ball gown, in the symbolic color of black.) Jim is at first outraged, but he loves Ruby so much that he forgives her completely.

Jim tragically dies in a boat accident, and the angry townspeople falsely accuse Ruby of murdering him for his money. The nonstop noise of car horns blaring is nerve-wracking. Ruby is frightened by the torment of the townspeople.

Ruby is now a rich, powerful woman, wearing elegant black dresses, hats and sunglasses. She takes revenge by foreclosing on numerous local companies, leaving behind many ruined businesses.

However, Ruby still obsessively loves Boake, and offers to cancel his loan. Boake scorns Ruby, and she retaliates by flooding his farm with swamp water. Boake sadly watches as his small crops die in the flooded land. Ruby has coldly destroyed his dream.

There is a creepy scene which strongly implies that Boake essentially rapes Ruby. Boake is angry, dangerous and anguished over his destroyed farm.

The last part of the film takes place in the hellish swamp, where Ruby and Boake are chased by a madman through the muddy water. They eventually reconcile in a bittersweet scene.

The ending is sad and moody. Ruby regrets her vindictive actions and seeks atonement. She becomes the captain of a small fishing boat, and lives as a recluse. Ruby looks like a thin man, wearing a man's uniform. She has lost her alluring glamor. The most beautiful woman in town is now an androgynous recluse.

The sets and costumes are lavish. Jim Gentry's mansion contrasts with the wooden cabins in the swamp area. The swamp is eerie, filled with mist, twisted dark branches, and muddy water. The acting is excellent. Jennifer Jones looks beautiful in all of her outfits, including jeans, a white satin gown, a black chiffon ball gown, and a black dress with a black hat.

This movie has interesting themes of obsessive love, ambition, a strange love-hate relationship, social class prejudice, revenge, women and power. I highly recommend this film.

"Dante's Inferno" (1935) is an excellent film, with many stunning scenes. At the beginning of the film, the impoverished Jim Carter (Spencer Tracy) ruthlessly pursues power and money. He joins a carnival, and meets Pop McWade, the owner of Dante's Inferno show. ("Inferno" is an epic poem about Hell, written by Dante in the 14th century.) McWade is a kind, thoughtful man, and hopes that his show will help people stay out of Hell. His morality contrasts with Carter's ruthless and shady business tactics.

Carter's callous strategies work, although others are often harmed. He eventually owns an extravagant carnival and amusement park, and a luxury Art Deco ship. The Dante's Inferno carnival show is a spectacular cavern with devils, fire and notorious beautiful women, including Salome and Cleopatra. The entrance to the cavern is a devil's head with glaring eyes and jagged teeth.

Carter's business practices are deplorable. However, he is a devoted family man. He marries McWade's beautiful blonde niece Betty, and loves their son.

Eventually, a large-scale disaster occurs at the carnival. Dante's Inferno caves in, and chaos ensues.

At one point, Carter has a dream of Hell. The surrealistic dream sequence of Hell is visually powerful and macabre, and is inspired by the engravings of Gustave Dore. There are hundreds of long haired sinners who live in a Hell of fire and smoke. Some struggle under stone slabs. Others wear long chains. Some sinners become half-human trees with gnarled twigs for hands.

The remainder of the film takes place on Carter's luxury Art Deco ship. The ship has a casino, and wild parties are shown through the portholes. The scenes of the epic disaster on the ship are stunning.

Director Harry Lachman was a production manager on the silent film "The Magician" (1926), which also has a surrealistic dream of Hell. The dream of Hell in the 1926 film influenced the Hell sequence in "Dante's Inferno" (1935).

This is an excellent, rare film, and it deserves to be preserved on DVD.

"Carnival in Flanders" (1935) is both an elaborate historic period film, and a clever comedy. The costumes and sets were inspired by Flemish Renaissance paintings.

Set in the year 1616, the Spanish army plans to invade the Flemish town of Boom. Most of the men hide. However, the women of Boom, led by the burgomaster's wife Cornelia, protect their village by using their feminine charm and hospitality. Cornelia invites the handsome Spanish duke and his officers to a fancy banquet at the burgomaster's house. There is also a festival with music, song and folk dance at the local inn for the soldiers. The dialog is witty and clever.

There is a subplot of a romance between the burgomaster's daughter Siska, and her painter boyfriend. Her boyfriend is Jan Brueghel the Younger, who was an actual Flemish painter.

The costumes and sets reflect the art of various Flemish Renaissance painters. Each scene in the film looks like a Flemish painting. The scenes are similar to the paintings of Jan Brueghel the Elder, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Frans Hals, Jacob Jordaens, Johannes Vermeer, and other artists.

The village of Boom is very picturesque, with a canal, windmills and historic buildings with towers. There are some lovely scenes of boats on the canal in the moonlight.

The costumes are extravagant. The wealthy men and women wear black clothes with large white ruffs around the neck. The peasant women wear native folk dress with caps.

The film has a cast of hundreds. In one scene, the women of Boom graciously welcome the Spanish army, who arrive on horseback in a long procession. The army is led by drummers, and the soldiers wear gleaming armor.

This is a witty, artistic film. It won numerous awards. I hope a DVD is released soon.

"The Rickshaw Man" (1958) is an excellent comedy-drama film starring Toshiro Mifune, who plays Matsu, a rickshaw driver. This movie is also known as "Muhomatsu, the Rickshaw Man." The film is set in 1905 Japan, where industrialization is beginning to replace older traditions.

When a military wife's husband dies, Matsu becomes a mentor for her son. Matsu secretly falls in love with the widow, yet knows he cannot have a relationship with her, because of his lower social status.

Matsu is a tough, rowdy man, with a sense of humor and a great heart. Despite his poverty, Matsu lives his life to the fullest. He enjoys life, and can find happiness in many places.

This movie is beautifully filmed in color, and there are scenes of traditional Japanese parades, fireworks, concerts and sports events. In one scene, Matsu skillfully drums a traditional song on a huge kodo drum, which delights the audience.

There are also surrealistic recurring images of wheels, which represent the passage of time.

This movie won the Golden Lion prize for Best Film at the 1958 Venice Film Festival. It deserves to be on DVD.

"A Thousand and One Nights" (1945) is a fun, campy version of Arabian Nights. It is a visually stunning Technicolor film, with lavish costumes and sets, witty dialog, a red-haired female genie, a cute dog, a sinister giant, a sword fight, songs and exotic Arabian dancers.

Aladdin (played by Cornel Wilde) is dashing and athletic. He falls in love with blonde Princess Armina, daughter of the Sultan. Beautiful brunette Novira is one of Armina's many lovely handmaidens. Comedian Phil Silvers is great as Aladdin's friend Abdullah, who makes a lot of witty, 1940s slang wisecracks. (It is said that Abdullah was born 1,200 years before his time, hence his knowledge of 1940s culture.)

Aladdin finds a red-haired female genie named Babs to help him marry Princess Armina. However, things get complicated when the genie falls in love with Aladdin, and the Grand Wazir wants to marry the princess.

Aladdin and Abdullah have some interesting adventures. The two friends are chased on horseback at the Vasquez Rocks. In the spooky cave of a sorcerer, they are stalked by a giant (Rex Ingram). They also meet a tailor with six beautiful red-haired seamstresses.

Aladdin's sword fight is excellent. Cornel Wilde was on the U.S. Olympic fencing team in 1936, and the sword fight is very dramatic.

The costumes are over-the-top spectacular. Princess Armina and her handmaidens wear colorful glittery gowns. Her wedding dress, with fringe and a huge chiffon skirt, practically floats around her. Genie Babs looks great with her bright red hair and blue-green outfits. There are also exotic Arabian dancers, and songs.

The sets are lavish. The palace has ornate gates and balconies. Outside scenes were filmed at the Vasquez Rocks. This film received Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects. I hope a DVD is released soon.

"Second Fiddle" (1939) is a beautiful ice skating musical, starring Sonja Henie, the Norwegian figure skater who won Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936.

Sonja Henie is charming and sweet as a schoolteacher who becomes a Hollywood star. Tyrone Power is her clever and energetic studio publicist, who secretly falls in love with her, while promoting her phony public romance with Roger Maxwell (played by Rudy Vallee), another studio star.

There are some beautiful figure skating scenes. In one scene, Sonja Henie skates gracefully in an elegant arena, dressed in a glittering skating costume. Later, she skates on a frozen lake, which reflects the shadows of winter tree branches. On the frozen lake, she skates a wonderful routine, with many spins, jumps and point footwork, in a lovely white skating dress.

This is an excellent movie, with beautiful figure skating, great music and songs, and a fun storyline. I hope a DVD is released soon.