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An odd film for sure. What begins as a domestic melodrama, set in the upper class reaches of naval society, turns into an unexpected, frantic race for survival. Based on a handful of films I've seen, Tallulah Bankhead's acting isn't something to be too excited about. Given the ludicrous plot development in the film's first half, she comes through with an acceptable performance, nothing more. We don't see enough of Cary Grant to full evaluate his contribution; he just looks good for the part. Regarding Gary Cooper, this is one of the worst early acting appearances by a future major star. He simply recites most of his lines and the chemistry between him and Bankhead is, in a word, nonexistent. Many feel that this early film role for Charles Laughton makes the film worth seeing. The great actor certainly is into his part, enjoying his nasty manipulations all the way. But I'd not call this one of Laughton's great moments on screen.

There's no question that the acting is top-drawer, and Jonathan Demme's visual style has points of interest, but this is a muddled remake that only barely satisfies. A decision was made to switch some key characters around in terms of the roles they play in the drama, most notably for the finale. Anyone who hasn't seen the great Frankenheimer version may find this good enough, but there is far less of the shock value in some of the older film's great moments. Denzel Washington is as least as good here as his counterpart Frank Sinatra. In some ways he's better, more sympathetic. As Raymond Shaw, Liev Schreiber is stuck with a character who doesn't register properly until the final act, unlike Laurence Harvey's brilliantly broken man--a great performance, not always given its due. With Meryl Streep we see a typically committed performance, but one that never rises to the magnificent evil created by Angela Lansbury. Ultimately, this version is worthwhile for the cast and a few scenes that do have some impact, but don't overlook the 1962 masterpiece.

Hold-up offender Casey Martin (Frank Lovejoy) is nabbed by police and offered 'redemption' if he goes undercover with the local mob and leads them to the kingpin Dutch Baker (Forrest Tucker).

It's an oft-told tale in Film Noir and it's pretty well handled here by an able cast that includes Peggie Castle and Timothy Carey. In typical 50s style, the movie has a brighter look, with few of the darker, urban settings, until the end, and the direction is pretty anonymous. Although IMDb says Frank Lovejoy was 5'11 he is towered over by Tucker and Carey. In more than one scene, Lovejoy pummels much bigger men and it looks, at best, improbable. His character is a hothead, so we can accept it for the sake of the plot. Lovejoy was a solid actor, who also excelled playing a similar role in I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI (one of the better films in its sub-genre). Tucker was one of the unsung great actors of his period, and he's great here as the self-important crime boss. As for Carey, he's doing his trademark psychotic type, used for dirty work by Tucker. Beautiful Peggie Castle is impressive as a mob-girl with a past she'd like to forget.

NO QUESTIONS ASKED is a fine film noir from the transitional period when dark visuals were still present, but were gradually being edged out in favor of well-lit sound stages. The opening is emblematic of noir, like a pulp novel come to life, and it leads immediately to a flashback. Director Harold F. Kress moves things along quickly, like a good B-movie director should. The picture wastes no time, and essentially telescopes the romantic interludes. In other words, it's mainly an action picture. And the action is often set in atmospherically interesting places: a sleazy night-spot that feels like a real place, a low-rent dancing school caught in mid-rehearsal, a sinister, dimly-lit indoor swimming pool, and more.

Barry Sullivan, Arlene Dahl, George Murphy are good, if not impressive. The real acting standout is Jean Hagen, a performer seemingly incapable of giving less than a superb performance. Hagen plays her part as though she were in one of MGM's A-films.

There are several worthwhile figures in the supporting roles. Moroni Olsen (the DA from MILDRED PIERCE), charming Richard Anderson as Lt. O'Bannion, Madge Blake (Mrs. Mondello from 'Leave it to Beaver'), Robert Osterloh, Mari Blanchard and the rest. Most fascinating of all is William Reynolds as the impossibly handsome thug/dancer Floyd. Reynolds (20 years old here) would later develop into a good actor with a career largely based in television.

This may not be the perfect adaptation of Thomas Mann's great, long and complex novel, DOKTOR FAUSTUS--it's been too long since I last read it--but it stands as a powerful film nonetheless. Memorable characters and scenes are there and there is an overarching sense of doom about the whole thing. This was Mann's retelling of the Faust legend with a musician as the protagonist, a man who bargains with Satan for success as a composer. His price: never to experience love for another human being, not just for a woman. The two objects of his love (non-romantic, a close friend and a very young nephew) are tragically taken from the world, when he betrays the bargain. In the end, there is a parallel made between this composer's fate and that of Nazi Germany. Jon Finch, the excellent British actor who had to be dubbed for this German production, seems ideally committed to the lead role and the rest of the cast is without exception very good.

Don't let the poster and title mislead you. This is a pretty substantial movie as Pre-Code melodrama goes. When a wealthy man dies, his children quickly learn that they have no inheritance and must make it on their own. The daughter (Joan Crawford) takes an honest route, while her brother (William Bakewell) falls in with a shady gang of liquor peddlers headed by Luva (Clark Gable). The star players are great, and the supporters do well too. Since it's set during The Great Depression and Prohibition there is a feeling of desperation going around, with people often doing whatever it takes to get by. The Pre-Code elements are all there, right from the start with the infamous underwear bathing party aboard a yacht, later with a bedroom scene between Crawford and her unmarried paramour (Lester Vail), and there's plenty of drinking, smoking, gunplay and sexual innuendo to go around. Highly recommended.

I won't pretend this is one of the great Outer Limits episodes. There aren't many of those, but some avoid total failure by holding interest to the end. "Wolf 359" is one that had always intrigued me, mostly because it manages to sustain the weird feeling that the show occasionally evokes. I must have seen a syndicated version with edits because seeing it again there is more to it than I'd remembered. The concept of replicating a tiny part of a planet nearly 8 light years from Earth is fascinating (as long as you don't think too much about how anyone could know enough about the planet's properties to attempt this in the first place). What happens to make the episode interesting is just fine--but then the old problem of what producers of the show called "the bear" knocks it all down a few notches. The budget was pretty limited, but it's too bad a malevolent being from a distant planet ends up looking like a cheaply designed "ghost". The music and the good actors help to keep us watching, so we can suspend disbelief. Still, we can wish they'd come up with something a little creepier than this particular "creature".

A grim and promising opening scene suggests the novels of Cormac McCarthy. Then some long exposition, maybe a little too long, setting up characters and relationships. The cast is strong, so it's watchable, but it could use a bit more energy. The film picks up very well when the search party sets out on horseback to rescue a character's wife who's been abducted by entities called "troglodytes". The latter are suitably threatening and hideous in appearance, and they appear to have unusual "tastes". Once scene in this sequence will be horrifically memorable for most viewers.

Very nice location photography is a plus, as several shots place the characters at a distance, amid atmospheric landscapes. The violence quotient in this movie is gradual, building to some nice payoff, even if much of it is predictable. But not totally predictable, so the movie is to be recommended for its original approach to genre, visual beauty and effectively managed dramatic violence.

What a trip, visually. The color, camera work, settings...really something to see. First time around, this will grab you and won't let go. Until the end. Maybe. I'm still thinking about it, though not sure if it's as deep as it seems. Emerald Fennell sure can direct actors and her tech crew is beyond top-level. Much of the time, this looks like an instant cult film--there is that much in it to keep you re-watching and talking about it. Barry Keoghan is perfect---really, who could have been better? He's got the right look for the character--attractive, but not Elordi-level....that keeps the initial tension firmly in place all the time. *No Spoilers*, just saying that there is more in this than meets the eye. So stick with it, if you think this is just another "let's be weird for two hours" type of thing. It's not. If nothing else, it's so brilliant to look at, and listen to, with great dialog. Funny as hell---has Carey Mulligan ever been more amusing? With Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike, Paul Rhys (as Duncan the butler) and Mr. Elordi, all in top form. A must-see.

Warren Oates leads the cast in this above-average 1970s, devil-cult thriller. Looks like a more violent TV-movie. Mr. Oates has a great way of making things seem real. His delivery of "It only hurts when I laugh. If I ever do" is priceless.

DELIVERANCE on wheels, without that great film's locations, or anything resembling its notorious scene of degradation. Also, unlike DELIVERANCE (which likely inspired it), the conspiratorial plot only works on B-movie level. Still, it's well-directed, acting is fine and it's nicely shot. If you like this type of thing it will be right up your country back road.

A strange film with a good cast and excellent San Francisco locations, circa 1961. Somehow, during the Korean War, Matt, a soldier played by Jeffrey Hunter saved the life of Vince another soldier, played by David Janssen. Matt has pretty much forgotten the incident--maybe due to a metal plate now in his head. So he's shocked when one day Vince turns up at his door, wanting to rekindle their wartime camaraderie. Things appear to start on the wrong foot, when Vince flirts openly (and mutually) with Matt's wife Nina (Stella Stevens). But Matt hardly minds, since he's had it with materialistic, alcoholic, verbally abusive nymphomaniac Nina. So, when she insists that Vince stay in their guest room, we can assume adulterous hanky-panky is in the future. Matt really doesn't mind too much--he's having an affair with the office secretary.

Very shortly after arriving, Vince reveals his true reason for turning up out of the blue: he has a plan to get his hands on $3 million in a semi-honest scheme (not really), and he'll need Matt's help. Manipulative Vince convinces Matt to play along and things go very badly. There's some entertaining early 60s-style violence and a pretty decent car chase that serves as a partial tour of San Francisco, well shot in widescreen black-and-white. The problem with the film comes in when it tries to tie Matt's marital troubles with the criminal events. It just doesn't work very well. But there are some fun arguments between Matt and Nina (Ms Stevens doing well, delivering very choice dialog). Then there is that party crowd: a group of neighborhood swingers we see first at one of Nina's booze-soaked gatherings (featuring Martini-filled water pistols), and later when they burst into Matt and Nina's obviously looking for an orgy. It's all completely implausible, but it's hard not to keep watching. No spoilers here about other somewhat interesting plot developments. This was directed by accomplished actor Edmund O'Brien, and if he had reined things in it might have just been dull. So, odd as it is, this movie merits a look, especially for fans of the period.

Perceptive, intelligent, realistic look at two guys connecting and the possibility of a future. This is a "romantic" film in the sense that it looks at the very first, tentative ways two people approach each other. But it focuses only on a weekend. Russell and Glen meet in a Nottingham bar on a Friday and have two nights and and an afternoon together. They're very different people. Russell works as a lifeguard. He not fully out as a gay man, and we learn he went through a series of foster homes as a child, along with another boy who remains his best friend. He has a "romantic" outlook, and would like to meet someone for a relationship. Glen is an artist who apparently scrapes by, living with a room mate. He's out to everyone, brutally honest and not afraid of being judged by others. Russell is too closed-down, says Glen, he should be more up front with others about himself. They have a couple of lengthy discussions about their differences and they gradually influence each other, so in the end they are both more or less on the same page. The sex scenes are not especially graphic--but they convey what looks like real intimacy and the very beginning of an emotional connection. When Glen tells Russell that he is leaving on Sunday, it puts pressure on their relationship, despite the resistance to that on the part of Glen. Something real seems to be happening between them and he's going to America for two years for an art teaching post. Despite his insistence that he does not want a boyfriend, it's very clear that Glen is conflicted about leaving.

This is a strong film because it shows contemporary gay men in a realistic light, something we wouldn't see again until GOD'S OWN COUNTRY, six years later. They're in their early 30s, both attractive, but not camera-ready model types. They're smart, quirky, from working-class backgrounds--they seem like real people. Actors Tom Cullen and Chris New create lived-in, believable characters. The film ends with the possibility of love. A close examination of how people begin together, It doesn't judge or make fantasy-type predictions.

Scenes with Charles Laughton and Henry Daniell together, as well as scenes with Laughton and Rosalind Ivan make THE SUSPECT a worthy member of what some call the "Gaslight Noir" list. It's a melodrama with some dark overtones (whether or not its truly "Noir" is a matter of opinion). The aforementioned actors' scenes bring high drama to the proceedings, delivering sharp, witty dialog. And the direction by Robert Siodmak, along with atmospheric filming by Paul Ivano add great value. But this is also one of those faux-British Hollywood movies, where lots of actors attempt a distracting half-baked accent. Ella Raines, otherwise quite good, is guilty of that as is young Raymond Severn, the disarming "Merridew". There's no problem with great, underrated Stanley Ridges as the tenacious police inspector "Huxley". It we look past any limitations, however, THE SUSPECT is good to have in an attractive blu-ray edition to watch every few years.

Famous cinematographer Jack Cardiff directed this somewhat offbeat crime thriller and his visual flair is evident. Many shots are more than interesting, and the city of Montreal is used to advantage, filmed in what looks like the dead of winter. There's a feeling of urban bleakness, not unlike many Film Noirs shot in US or UK cities. This could qualify as a minor late-period Noir, with a plot revolving around a band of murderous types who intend to assassinate a South American president, in need of a brain operation, for political reasons. Concerned with safety, the man was moved to a Montreal hospital, but the thugs have followed him there, "intent" on carrying out their mission. The other side of the plot concerns the doctor who treats the South American, and his marital strife. That subplot works fine, thanks to the casting of Richard Todd, Betsy Drake, and a very good list of actors: Alexander Knox, Herbert Lom, Warren Stevens. The latter is particularly intimidating as boss of the murderous gang. The very slightly complicated plot involves some unexpected turns. It's all well directed by Cardiff, with a great climax. Unfortunately, this film is not easy to find in a decent print. It was shot in CinemaScope, but copies all seem to be pan & scan. Let's hope some day it will be restored.

It might be difficult not to think of the films of Jean-Pierre Melville when watching LE MATAF. It covers similar ground to those of the great master, but it lacks Melville's talent for telling the story. Here, we have a fast-moving narrative, including a moment or two of confusion as to what exactly is happening. Unlike Melville, Serge Leroy doesn't take time to live with the characters, or to give scenes enough time to have full impact. Undoubtedly, there are some effective moments (as with the fate of a female character, late in the film) but too much feels perfunctory (the 'romance' between Constantin and Rozier). However, there are far worse examples in the huge crime film catalog of the 1970s.

One of those odd period films that Hollywood produced, possibly after the success of GASLIGHT and REBECCA. The general atmosphere is somewhat dark and there's a mystery at the center. MOSS ROSE is a lesser example and if it succeeds it may only be thanks to young Peggy Cummins and Ethel Barrymore. You'll also see Vincent Price in one of his many appearances for the studio. This was an odd choice for Victor Mature who was a big star at Fox. His very American manner an accent are explained by having an English mother but growing up in America. Mature is merely adequate in this movie with its gaslights and sumptuous Fox interiors. Cummins gives a spunky performance as a London dance hall girl who finds herself caught up, as a witness, in a murder investigation. Strangely, she is certain of Mature's guilt, yet somehow doesn't care and she takes quite a chance by approaching him with an unusual (and frankly unbelievable) request. Barrymore is her usual very dependable self here...no more should be said about her character. I'd recommend this only to the curious, if you come across it. In my opinion it's not a true Film Noir, even if it appears on many listings. Rather, it's a romantic period mystery. Well produced and directed but in the end nothing very special at all.

*Minor Spoilers* Slightly above average UK crime drama. George Nader isn't bad as cold, calculating thief Paul Gregory. But as a thief, Paul isn't so good. First he mismanages a scheme to remove valuable coins from a rich lady (Silent Screen veteran Bessie Love, who resembles Lesley Manville at times). Then a co-criminal, played by great Bernard Lee, tries to put one over on Paul and they both lose out In the middle of it all is young and pretty Maggie Smith...her motives are not all that clear, given the risk she takes for edgy and pushy Paul, whom she apparently fancies. The movie is very well directed by Seth Holt who knew how to keep things moving and how to keep your eyes interested in what's on screen. A sequence set in Wales, but probably not filmed there, is quite beautiful.

Contrary to another review here, there is nothing "routine" about this movie. And it certainly isn't a "documentary" (where did that come from?) A superbly realized work of Henri Decoin this is a trip though the Parisian underworld, circa 1955. Junkies, hit-men, prostitutes, pimps, and other denizens of the urban underworld populate this corker of a film. In typical Decoin fashion, the intrigue and double-crosses get complicated: you have to pay close attention and remember names. But it's worth it--this movie really pays off. A rarely-mentioned hard-boiled classic of French noir. Lino Ventura, Albert Rémy, Lila Kedrova (in a hell of a performance), an early appearance by Magali Noël, and plenty of others, headed up by Jean Gabin. The great star of French cinema was visibly aging--and of course he had to be paired with the 20-something Noël--but he does a great job as always. Absolutely essential viewing if you like Noir in its French rendition. French title: RAZZIA SUR LA CHNOUF (DOPE RAID).

This is no mere Joan Crawford vehicle. It's a riveting tale of a woman's ambitious climb up a ladder she doesn't understand soon enough. Leaving her oil-town home and husband, Ethel (Crawford) eventually goes from low-rent fashion model (with implied duties as prostitute) to girlfriend of a meek accountant, pushing him onto a powerful mob boss as business manager. From there things go into high gear and the drama never lets up. Crawford's at her best, with great support from Kent Smith, excellent David Brian and super-charged Steve Cochran. We also see Selena Royle and Jacqueline DeWit (later the monstrous wife in the classic Twilight Zone, "Time Enough at Last"), as a model cohort. The title appears to be derived from an O'Neill play and it's very apt here. Surprisingly violent and expertly directed, this is a top-notch Film Noir that deserves more recognition.

I'll go out on a limb with this one. It's great, mainly for the acting and writing, but as a film I think it has a few problems. This is originally a three-act play. The film does a good job of surpassing the limits of a stage performance, with expert camera work and direction by Mike Nichols. It can still feel like it's in three-acts, but that in itself is not an issue, since many films are structured the same way. The first act is flat-out brilliant: biting, very funny dialog and superb ensemble work from the actors. Act two is set, for the film, in a roadside dance bar (still open in the middle of nowhere after 3am and run by senior citizens!).

The first half of this part works well as a change of scene, and the bitter humor is effectively played here, with particular emphasis on movement. But the second half of this section--a long scene in the parking lot between George and Martha--somewhat weakens the whole film. After what we've already seen and heard, we don't really need a rehashing of all the resentments and anger between these people, at least not one this long. Sure, Taylor and Burton are great, but they seem tired (it's nearly 4am by now and the booze has never stopped flowing). Convincing, yes, but unnecessary, and it it can tire out the viewer. I think it should have been shortened to its final moments.

After we see Martha speed off to collect the other couple we get to the final act, and the start of this slows down an already dangerously dragging movie. We get that Martha and Nick have gone up to the bedroom. And we see George's reaction, but do we need a long scene of Martha wandering the huge, dark lawn calling out for the others? By this point, everyone, actors and viewers are pretty worn out. We do need the revelation at the end, but it's all so stretched out, with points already made.

Don't get me wrong. This is still one of my favorite films. It has what some call Richard Burton's greatest movie performance. And it's a vindication for those who thought Taylor was only a beautiful movie star---she, too, has never been better. It can be a hard watch for some, but these two have a poisonous chemistry that is total cinema magic. The other two actors can't be faulted, but up against the powerhouse main couple who could do more than stand back and watch? Yes, Nick and Honey have their moments, and Sandy Dennis with a showier part, will linger in the mind. Flawed, yes in my opinion, but a towering statement about the way some of us find to live with unwanted truths.

Young Anouk Aimée leads this film in a singular performance: it's not quite something you've seen before. While undergoing interrogation by police who are investigating the death of an abortion doctor, Catherine (Aimée) remembers, through flashbacks, her involvement with three men--a young frustrated journalist, a wealthy publisher and a fashion photographer. None of these were good choices for Catherine, but she survives quite well, even becomes semi-famous for a while, and gains financial security. As interesting as the stories are--and well-acted by all--it's the way director Alexandre Astruc has chose to present them that makes the film memorable. The flashbacks are artfully shot in stunning black & white, and all set in eye-catching locations. One in particular should be mentioned: a long scene between Catherine and Blaise (the publisher, played by Jean-Claude Pascal), set in a dim room with a large fireplace whose flickering flames create a strong mood of unease. Astruc's direction is without fault throughout. This is a very rare film--apparently not available on home video, essential viewing for fans of French cinema.

A contemporary tragedy equal to DEATH OF A SALESMAN. In this film (originally a teleplay) the death is of the spirit. Rod Serling's masterpiece shows us four people, all perfectly characterized. Only the woman, a social worker (Julie Harris), lives a stable life. The men are at different stages of a downward spiral: Army (Mickey Rooney) who makes do with the meager life he has, training boxers, Maish (Jackie Gleason), a man desperate to escape doom at the hands of a heartless mob boss to whom he owes money, and Mountain (Anthony Quinn) a has-been boxing star, now punch-drunk and despairing. The doctor says Mountain could go blind with one more fight.

Attempting to find work outside of boxing, Mountain meets the social worker, who takes pity on him and falls a bit in love along the way. Nothing in the story suggests a positive outcome, but it's not merely a grim exercise with actors of this caliber. Harris and Rooney are in top form, while Gleason and Quinn have never been better. The latter made this film during a break from LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, but you'd never know it wasn't something he'd worked up to for years. Quinn totally embodies Mountain, a moving wreck of a man. As for Gleason, he plays Maish as despicable, yet also human and trapped by his own failure.

There are many strong scenes, but one stands out between Gleason and Harris, when they meet by chance on the stairs. Any hope the social worker has to help Mountain is dashed by Maish's brutally honest, but compassionate speech to her. Ralph Nelson, known mostly for TV work, directs unobtrusively, leaving these great performers to their artistry.

An odd crime film with an American star and some players using American accents, no doubt a product of the UK-US film making agreement of 1948. Set in London, the story concerns Pel Pelham (John Ireland), a carny barker with a bright idea for show to pack in crowds. Believe it or not, his idea is to have spectators watch a man starve himself for 70 days, while enclosed in a glass cage (The Glass Cage is an alternate title of the movie). Suspending disbelief, we watch people line up to see this overweight man (Eric Pohlmann) deny himself food. But that's just background for the narrative. The interesting part begins when a young woman who lives upstairs from Pohlmann and his wife is murdered. Those of us watching the film know who the killer is, but it's up to police and Pel's ingenuity to uncover the perpetrator, not only of the woman, but of the Starving Man himself who has also been murdered since he was a possible witness. Featuring Sid James, Sidney Tafler, Honor Blackman as Pel's wife and young actor playing their son whose voice sounds like he's been dubbed by a woman. Preposterous? Yes. But it's rather fun to watch it all play out in 59 minutes.

Awful "thriller" with annoying, zoom-plagued cinematography and ultimately pointless narrative.

Julie Christie is ok at best, while Donald Sutherland fares a bit better, but he can't save the tedium that this film sinks into almost immediately, and never climbs its way out. Its exalted reputation is a bigger mystery than the film itself. The infamous sex scene attracted a lot of attention in 1973. Now it looks like what it is: staged for effect, with not apparent purpose, apart from what another reviewer has pointed out: a contrast with the constantly contentious relationship we see before it, a way to 'humanize' these characters. Perhaps, but it doesn't make the movie worth seeing more than once. I'd never say don't see this movie, many think it's great. But for some of us it's a major misfire.

Wow! Poetic realism, Hollywood style. MOONTIDE was originally assigned to Fritz Lang as director, but he was replaced by Archie Mayo and we may never know how much difference this made in the final film. Whatever its production history may be, this is a magnificent example of artistic use of black-and-white cinematography and set design. There is a palpable atmosphere, a sense of place (though it's never specified by name. We just know it's set on the California coast) that's downright captivating. So strong is the visual style--with its constructed sets, artfully lit, often cast in semi-darkness-- that it very often overwhelms the drama, though never throwing the balance off altogether. This is poetic realism, in what is usually termed the French style of the 1930s-40s, in a Hollywood context. The generally European feeling remains strong with the presence of Jean Gabin in the lead role. His committed performance dominates the film, only partly due to his strong French accent. It's probably a shame that the actor chose to discontinue work in American films after this and one more film, because he is so strong here. The other actors--all very good ones, Ida Lupino, Thomas Mitchell, Claude Rains,Jerome Cowan all seem under the spell of the film's style and they work perfectly with, or against, Gabin's character. Watching MOONTIDE (a poetic title if there ever was one), one might wonder if it misses greatness only by its origin. Had Lang stayed with it, would we have something comparable to the masterworks of Carné or Renoir? As it is, the film comes close enough to be ranked only slightly lower. In the case of this movie, "underrated" is an understatement.