Sullivan’s Travels

Today I talk about Sullivan’s Travels which is frankly one of my favorite movies all time for the The Celluloid Road Trip Blogathon hosted by Hometowns to Hollywood as this wonderful classic story stands the test of time as ohn L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea), convinced he won’t be able to film his ambitious masterpiece until he has suffered, dons a hobo disguise and sets off on a journey as this classic tale lasts test of time i choose review it today.

Sullivan’s Travels Review

The idea of walking in someone else’s shoes in order to truly understand their point of view has been stated in many elegant ways has been told many times over in movies yet this tale hasnt been told so effectly as this classic tale. The idea of the artist taking a road road trip to better understand the sufferings of others simply works here. “I’m going out on the road to find out what it’s like to be poor and needy and then I’m going to make a picture about it … I’m doing it for the poor. Don’t you understand? … I doubt if they would appreciate it, sir. They rather resent the invasion of their privacy. Echoing Gulliver’s Travels, this is ‘prime’ Preston Sturges and more of a social satire than a comedy with its barbs aimed squarely at Hollywood; a film depicting the chance encounters and experiences of a movie director as he raids the wardrobe department to disguise himself as a hobo before travelling around the country with a down-on-her-luck starlet and a studio entourage, looking for the kind of material which can be turned into a ‘meaningful’ movie he will call ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’.

The classic film Sullivan’s Travels brings to mind some provocative questions on who should be able to tell certain kinds of stories. I have often heard the perspective from some members of the film criticism community, that they sometimes devalue films instantly if the experience being captured does not come from an artist of that same background. In some cases, you may feel this way because you are apart of the group the story is about, and you did not feel like the film authentically spoke to your experience. Of course, there are no right or wrong answers here, because everyone’s opinion is going to be unique on it.

With all that being said, Sullivan’s Travels tells the story of what a comedy movie Director comes to discover about the struggles of the poor, while working to prepare a film he feels would be of significance on the topic. Sullivan’s Travels was both an entertaining and provocative look into this idea of Hollywood’s innate inability to truly understand the hardships of the poverty-stricken and working class as we see it wonderfully crafted by the wonderful Preston Sturges with wonderful acting by its two wonderful stars of Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake as fun-fact about them too they didnt get along at all but give out such a wonderful performances on screen as the splendid Sturges stock company of character actors, this picture is often hilarious and has a moment or two of real poignancy; the comic sequences may prevail but the lessons learnt will remain with you as this movie will remain with you fro ages to come.

Cocktails, wisecracks, and murder:the charm of the thin man

Cocktails, wisecracks, and murder:the charm of the thin man

The Thin Man movies are always charming and fun little gems you can sit down and watch again and again. The magical charm of those movies is the duo of William Powell and Myrna Loy as the effervescent husband and wife team of Nick and Nora Charles. I am a huge fan of the thin man movies as much of it comes from their wonderful Chemistry and banter between Nick and Nora as they feel like a perfect couple so today talks about them.

Cocktails, wisecracks, and murder:the charm of the thin man

The thin man series review

The thin man wasn’t considered a classic when released in 1934 as it wasn’t an a picture as considered an A picture as they didnt expect it to be a huge hit but it did n spawned six movies as that is a rarity. Each of them are fun classics in their own right as all six movies are wonderful classic movies.

The real power-play of The movie series is the wonderful acting by the duo of William Powell and Myrna Loy as the effervescent husband and wife team of Nick and Nora Charle are the main stars as simply their powerful performances make the movies click together perfectly. The thin man was released in 1934. It was a huge hit to the surprise of the studio.In this film. The movies main plot-line:Edward Ellis plays a mean-spirited inventor. The recently-divorced Ellis discovers that his new girlfriend has stolen $50,000 and is carrying on with other men. Not long afterward, he disappears. Anxious to locate her father, Ellis’ daughter Maureen O’Sullivan goes to private detective Nick Charles for help.  Maureen O’Sullivan and Nat Pendleton and Minna Gombell and Porter Hall all give out wonderful performances. Its Maureen O’Sullivan that really shines in her role as the daughter. Minna Gombel plays the greedy ex wife Mimi Jorgenson as she simply gives out a wonderful performance. Cesar Romero as Chris Jorgenson is another fun character in this movie. This film is simply magnificent. Powell and Loy have fabulous chemistry and their dialogue is so smooth that there are many moments when you forget you’re watching a film. Script is really sharp with wonderful acting its a wonderful start to the series of thin man movies.

In this sequel to 1934’s hit “The Thin Man, called after the thin man. Director W.S. Van Dyke moves the action to San Francisco, where he unleashes the investigative power couple Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) on a missing-person case that soon involves murder. This is a perfect example of a film where plot is really secondary and it’s all about the lead characters and the witty banter as each character shines in this movie as they all give out wonderful performances. James Stewart is playing a wonderful role that is a wonderful performance for an early debut of a legend to come. The supporting casts of talented character actors all give out such wonderful performances. It’s a rare follow up I feel that is so much better then first movie in many ways as simply it’s a marvelous classic that you should see today.

The Third Thin Man, aka Another Thin Man (1939 really shows you how it’s one of the best movies of 1939. This third entry features William Powell and Myrna Loy in top form as the stylish Nick and Nora Charles as they give out such wonderful performances on the screen. The film is well-paced with wonderful acting by everyone as it’s another wonderful charming movie in this charming series. William Powell and Myrna Loy prove them once again to be the Fred and Ginger of detective movies as simply third movie is a classic you should see today.

Shadow of the Thin Man is another addition to the Thin Man” series starring that wonderful couple, Nick and Nora Charles, played to perfection by William Powell and Myrna Loy. In this film, they have a son, Nicky who keeps daddy on his toes. Donna Reed is beautiful in an early role as she gives such a wonderful performance. It’s another marvelous classic in this classic thin man series that showcases such marvelous new talents as it’s a wonderful must see movie. The last two movies in thin man series called thin man goes home and Song of the Thin Man both are wonderful classics that are enjoyable but i will warn you they are not same level of magic as frist four movies so i feel they are lesser even at that you can still enjoy them all.

The charm of Nick and Nora Charles and  Asta. 

My favorite detective/private eye of all time, Nick Charles (William Powell…love him!) and his hilarious, feminist, “take no stuff” better half Nora (Myrna Loy). I love this series for its mix of murder, mystery, intrigue, suspense and comedy and really marvelous acting by its wonderful talented actors in the movies. Asta, you can’t forget about their dog sidekick who often steals the scene. The real power-play of The movie series is the wonderful acting by the duo of William Powell and Myrna Loy as the effervescent husband and wife team of Nick and Nora Charles are the main stars as simply their powerful performances make the movies click together perfectly as also with their stealing dog named Asta as all three of them are the real stars of series as you simply can’t take eyes off them.  I love everything about this series…the witty dialogue…the scenery…the cinematography and use of shadows as everything seems to work in this series. It’s a series that you should check out today. I hope you liked my tribute to the thin man series.

Nancy wake the white mouse

Nancy wake the white mouse

Nancy Wake was far from a damsel in distress, and by the end of the war was number one on the Gestapo’s Most Wanted list.

On March 1, 1944, French Resistance Captain Henri Tardivat found Nancy Wake tangled in a tree. As he looked up at her hanging from the branches, he remarked on her beauty as seen this lovely dame.I hope that all the trees in France bear such beautiful fruit this year,” he said. Nancy wake had gotten struck in tree after e after parachuting from a B-24 bomber, was armed with classified documents. On her way to the local maquis resistance group, she had no time for Tardivat’s asininity you would say this woman is simply amazing as no woman could be this amazing. Tardivat realized at that moment that if there was one thing Nancy Wake was not, it was a damsel in distress as she simply was a marvelous woman of action.

Nancy wake was rained in hand-to-hand combat, espionage, sabotage, and able to drink almost all of her male counterparts under the table, Nancy Wake was known as one of the most fearsome French Resistance fighters during World War II. By 1942, the Gestapo had put her at the top of their most wanted list, offering a five million franc prize for her capture, dead or alive. They referred to her as the “White Mouse,” as she had managed to evade capture several times throughout the war as she was coined the white mouse she would sometimes just sneak past their checkpoints as they looked at this lovely lady no idea she was the white mouse. She began her  resistance had begun in 1933 while working as a freelancer for a Parisian newspaper, the Australian expatriate was asked to travel to Vienna to interview the new German Chancellor a man named Adolf Hitler. In Vienna, Wake witnessed firsthand the horrific treatment of Jewish men and women at the hands of devoted Hitler followers. Immediately she vowed to oppose Hitler by whatever means necessary as she saw the horrors of what Hitler did to the Jews. She got her chance a few years later.In 1940, the Nazis invaded Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Rather than leave her home, Nancy Wake remained in Paris and joined the French Resistance with her husband, Henri Fiocca, a wealthy French industrialist.

For two years they worked as couriers for the resistance, later becoming part of an escape network to get downed Allied soldiers back to safety. The Gestapo knew part of the resistance occurring right under their noses and were working tirelessly to stop it, searching Wake’s mail and staking out her home.Eventually, it became too dangerous for Nancy Wake to continue her work from inside France’s borders. Leaving Fiocca behind to continue their work from Paris, she planned to travel to Britain. On her way to Britain, Wake earned her nickname of the White Mouse as she evaded capture by SS guards and Gestapo officers several times. She would later remark on her tactics, which usually consisted of flirting or talking her way out of precarious situations.A little powder and a little drink on the way, and I’d pass their (German) posts and wink and say, ‘Do you want to search me?’” she said. “God, what a flirtatious little bastard I was.”

When she was picked up on a train outside of Toulouse, she spun a wild tale of deceit, claiming she had to be let go because she was the mistress of one of the guards and that she had to conceal her identity from her husband. The German guards let her go, and she eventually escaped through the Pyrenees into Spain, and later into Britain. Once in Britain, Nancy Wake joined the Special Operatives Executives and was trained in several combat and intelligence programs. Her training officers all noted that she was a quick learner, a fast shot, and could “put the men to shame Before long she was a high ranking officer for the SOE in charge of organizing and allocating arms to 7,500 men. She herself led several attacks on the Gestapo in Montluçon and at one point offered to personally execute a German spy that her men were too scared to kill themselves.

Her most notable achievement came when the SOE was raiding a German gun factory. As an investigating SS sentry was about to raise the alarm and give her and her crew away, Wake killed the guard with her bare hands.They’d taught this judo-chop stuff with the flat of the hand at SOE, and I practiced away at it,” she said later, recalling the incident. “But this was the only time I used it – whack – and it killed him all right. I was really surprised. In addition to killing a man with her bare hands, Wake further proved her devotion to the resistance when she rode 380 miles round trip on a bicycle through German checkpoints, to transfer a message from her resistance group to another, all within a 72 hour period.

Throughout the war, Nancy Wake saved thousands of lives, most notably those of her Maquis comrades. She was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the United States, The Medaille de la Resistance and the Croix de Guerre from France, and countless other honors from European nations.Though the honors speak for themselves, as well as her notable accomplishments, when remembering Nancy Wake, nothing encapsulates her spirit quite as much as the words of her fellow Resistance officer Henri Tardivat. She is the most feminine woman I know, until the fighting starts,” he recalled fondly after the war. Then, she is like five men.Nancy wake was a legend as you can see.

mighty joe young

 

mighty Joe young

Mighty Joe Young”(1949) has always been a favorite of mine ever since I saw it for the first time saw it. I am a huge fan of the works of Willis Obrien and Ray Harryhaussen worked together on this movie as this classic movie i talk about in my review today as simply another classic i adore to watch often upon the screen.

mighty joe young review

Mighty Joe Young is the story of a girl and her gorilla and a friendship that would survive despite the hardships they would endure. Those times would see them leaving their jungle home courtesy of a huckster who wants them to play at his latest club in Los Angeles and while it would seem glamorous at first, it was anything but. Though trial and tribulation, Joe and Jill would overcome with a little help and give themselves and the viewer that essential happy ending.(plot)

Mighty Joe Young is his is Ray Harryhausen’s first official credit and it’s a beautiful showcase of the influence that would flourish for decades as we see what begins his magical power of crafting stop motion works upon the screen.

Mighty Joe Young is a more light-hearted family friendly take on the King Kong type story as that doesnt ruin its charm to any effect. MIGHTY JOE YOUNG was originally released to mixed reviews and the box office numbers were so disappointing for the studio that a planned sequel was nixed. That’s really too bad but even today this film seems to get either overlooked or bashed because people go into it expecting another KING KONG but they got something even more special in my eyes as its far better in many regards form its very amazing as the special effects are basically jaw-dropping to watch upon the screen.

While Willis O’Brien, who did the animation for King Kong, was officially the supervisor of the special effects, his assistant Ray Harryhausen actually created most of them. Harryhausen went on to become one of the most influential special effects animators of all time. Mighty Joe Young is considered his first major film with such charming animation you see it come to to life upon the screen in such animation stop motion animation on the screen.

Terry Moore and Ben Johnson and Robert Armstrong all are such wonderful treats to watch play out their marvelous performances on the screen. I would say Terry Moore  as Jill really steals the show as she leads us to really adore mighty joe young. Ben Johnson plays who a rodeo cowboy in a sense is truly who she falls in love as she grows to like him truly as he helps her save mighty joe young. Its their remarkable performances that really make the movie come to life upon the screen.

I would say of my favorite movie moments is the scene of Beautiful Dreamer is one of my favorite movie scenes all time as this scene shows off the animation of ray as its truly magical to see Terry Moore held by mighty Joe young as each animation frame here you see the animation of his face and his expressions it’s just a joy to see the scene. It’s a wonderful wonder this scene.

The special effects and stop-motion work by O’Brien and Harryhausen are marvelous, and took fourteen months to complete. Joe actually seems real, so subtle are his movements and expressions and, when he snatches a moving child off a burning ledge with a swing of the arm, you’ll be wondering how it was done as simply one of my favorite scenes is beautiful dreamer as you see him holding her in night club as she plays the piano its such a marvelous scene upon the screen. One famous scene has Joe winning a tug-of-war contest with several legendary musclemen, including Man Mountain Dean, Primo Carnera and the original Swedish Angel Phil Olafsson. Familiar faces to keep an eye out for include Regis Toomey, Ellen Corby, Richard Farnsworth, Dwayne Hickman, Irene Ryan and William Schallert as this scene showcases such a marvelous lead forward form king kong as you see joe is truly alive in such ways.

Mighty Joe Young has many scenes of complex stop-motion work not least the exciting burning orphanage sequence. It won for O’Brien a well-deserved Oscar, the award he should have been given for King Kong as sadly it wasn’t box office hit as the follow up idea was we would meet Tarzan (Lex Barker), but was shelved due to disappointing box-office returns barely covering its million-dollar budget. With warmth, humor and future effects superstar Harryhausen as assets, Mighty Joe Young surprised its producers by bombing at the box-office which is somewhat inexplicable especially since King Kong would earn its greatest profits when re-released four years later in 1953 but repeated viewing as such as TV and many forms as re-viewings have made this movie a legendary classic with wonderful acting and direction and a wonderful special effects works make it a must see classic movie.

This is Ray Harryhausen if reading this I am sure he was your hero too. He made the monsters the star which is the coolest thing in the world. Ray Harryhausen is A childhood hero of mine. I can say that i have been obsessed with his work since I was a boy. His monsters had more personality then me as a boy but it was truly magical when I first saw his movies i was in awe and wonder. it showed me that one man can make such wonders. I knew these monsters were not real but they touched my heart. it is still so true to my heart because I seen them when i was a boy and not know how they were done. I remember many as boy saying they were not real but i didn’t care. I seen many things that passed in such effects but I never could get over how amazing this guys truly stands out. Ray Harryhausen truly is the greatest artist of special effects. One of the my true heroes to my heart as today i talked his frist creation but noting tops his works to my eyes. I always adore them as to pay tribute to this legend.

Hitchcock should have won an Oscar.

Hitchcock should have won an Oscar(https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest)

It has been well documented but it still astonishes that Hitchcock never won an Academy Award. Anointed as “the master of suspense”, that acclaim didn’t translate to statuettes on Hitch’s mantelpiece. it seems unfair to say that Hitchcock never won an Oscar. Amazingly, of 52 Hitchcock movies, only five won Oscars of any kind. Rebecca was the only one to win Best Film, but David O Selznick as producer claimed that one, and only one actor, Joan Fontaine for 1941’s Suspicion, lifted an acting Oscar yet he never won one for directing in any of his flims. I would say his flims are often considered the crown jewels of movies so i say today why he should have won one for his works as i talk it today for 31 Days of Oscar Blogathon. so i hope you enjoy my talk on it today.

Hitchcock should have won an Oscar

Alfred Hitchcock is arguably one of the most well-known directors in the last century. Born Aug. 13, 1899, the English film director created more than 50 movies before he passed away in 1980. He changed the way flims were made forever as he demanded specific start times for “Psycho,and audiences were asked to not give away the end of the movie. its always been something special his works to my heart but him never winning an oscar seems odd for such a wonderful director that changed the game and inspired many future flim-makers whom would win Oscars.Hitchcock may have never won an Oscar for best director but he should have won it many times.

spellbound(1945)

This psychological thriller opens with an intriguing Shakespeare quote: “The Fault … is Not in Our Stars, But in Ourselves  which may be one of the most interesting ways to begin a story that takes place (by and large) in a mental asylum as its one of the best movies of the year of 1945 as going my way was not as good as spellbound as what was Oscars thinking when they choose that movie over spellbound.

Spellbound is one of the many Hitchcock movies every film fan should see.  It was one of the first films to deal with psychoanalysis a theme he would often revisit but this flim is very much in his later flims.

Spellbound is Cleverly directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the film is full of twists & turns throughout its runtime and repeatedly plays a dream sequence that toys with viewers’ mind like a strong puzzle asking to be solved. Cinematography is a stunning work of film-noir that should been enough earn hitchcock an oscar for this outstanding flim that really has such wonderful acting with such wonderful Cinematography.  Its brilliant performances from Gregory Peck, Michael Chekov & the immensely beautiful Ingrid Bergman amongst whom Bergman impressed me the most for I was completely in awe of her. On an overall scale, Spellbound is a spellbinding tale by the master of suspense that never lets out the entertainment factor it is a shame that never got the Oscar chance at all for  many things as its wonderful and its simply an overlooked classic.

rear window 

The year of 1954 had director Alfred Hitchcock in sublime form as he delivered not one but two back-to-back genre masterpieces to cement his status as the pre-eminent filmmaker of thrillers & suspense. While one of the two was Dial M for Murder which even today remains one of his most enjoyable & entertaining works that you could enjoy to watch for fun. Rear Window is a wonderfully simple thriller that also flirts with comedy and drama. With the always active photographer, L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jefferies, confined to a wheelchair he is left with little to do but spy on his fellow neighbors across the courtyard. Jeff becomes a voyeur in the same way we do when we watch movies upon the screen.

Rear Window is an undisputed masterpiece with such tight editing, terrific performances from James Stewart, Grace Kelly & others plus clever use of music, the tension & excitement never leaves the film for one instant ands its wonderful direction by hitchcock that is shameful it never won an oscar  for him for best direction because this movie is simply amazing to watch form begining to end. Rear Window is a masterpiece of suspense & mystery you will watch again and again.

Vertigo” (1958)

There can be no last word on Vertigo. In 2012, it usurped Citizen Kane as Sight and Sound’s “greatest film of all time”, but with this superlative label comes an expectation for absolute meaning. Since its release 60 years ago, academics and critics have tried (and failed) to dissect the plot its simply one of those classics that keeps becoming better loved with age. Its pinnacle of movie-making. Its powerful and affecting story is concise, clever and unpredictable. Hitchcock is playing at the peak of his game, with great depth of character and storytelling, and his actors do not let him as its simply a marvel of flim-making. The film is shot beautifully in color, on location in San Francisco (with some shots on a sound-stage), by longtime collaborator Robert Burks  Cinematography is simply the best ever shot to flim as its such lovely shots of the city that you almost feel like you are in the city with the characters.James Stewart delivers a career-best performance as Scottie, an acrophobic detective that truly is him at his finest ever as you truly believe he is losing his mind sometimes.A masterpiece of dizzying psychological depths that one should watch that should earned him directing Oscar for it. 

Notorious’ (1946)

Notorious is a deliciously smart and electrifying spy flick mixed with a venomous love story. Possibly the most suspenseful spy movie I’ve ever seen, Hitchcock knew exactly what buttons to push to create something that at times takes your breath away. An absolute Gothic masterpiece with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman they’re excellent as give out such amazing acting performances. Hitchcock’s films are often psychologically complex and mordantly funny, but they’re rarely deeply romantic as this spy thriller with masterful direction and acting that is a wonderful jewel of a film that should have been more beloved in its day as it’s simply a classic that everyone would adore to watch.

“Strangers on a Train” (1951)

A bonafide suspense classic concerning an up-and-coming tennis player (Farley Granger) who meets a psychopath (Robert Walker) on a train by chance, and how the troubled man thinks he strikes a deal with the athlete on him murdering his girlfriend if he murders his father. Only, that’s not the case at all. Another successful Hitchcock noir isn’t as good as some of his best work that is case at all as its very much equal to his greater works but very overlooked by people with the marvelous acting of Robert Walker that makes this movie shine. its simply a marvelous thriller with such marvelous direction that you will enjoy to watch anytime.

Psycho” (1960)

Psycho is Immortal for its contribution to cinema, notorious for pushing the boundary of what’s accepted in mainstream movies & setting an extremely high benchmark for horror films to follow, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho remains the most influential, successful & famous work of his legendary career and is rightfully hailed as one of the greatest achievements in the history of film-making for many good reasons as it’s a marvelous movie with great direction and acting by its cast. Psycho is a breathtaking work of perfection that marks the creative height of Alfred Hitchcock’s glorious film career that is truly a wonderful gem to watch.

Alfred Hitchcock the greatest flim  director all time

Hitchcock’s films seem to cross all boundaries in terms of audience.  A screening of one of his more popular titles from his mid period such as the aforementioned Vertigo or Rear Window (1954) will bring an equal flock of casual cinema goers to the birds to his later works his earlier works.  Underneath the exciting visuals and story, often lies an analysis of ideas and beliefs, often taken down Freudian, perhaps even Jungian routes of psychoanalytical territories that have such marvelous acting with marvelous direction in so many of his movies form his start to his end he was a man that had clear way of telling such marvelous stories upon the screen. I would say he is the greatest flim-maker ever in history of the medium. I am sad he never won an Oscar because so many of his works are such marvels of flim that each of his flims showcase the marvelous growth of a man in directing form his more simple begining to his end he managed to make flims that grew with the times but also were ahead of their times. I adore him so much so i hoped you see why he should have won an Oscar for directing.

The Curse of the Cat People A HAUNTING FABLE FOR CHRISTMAS

The Curse of the Cat People- A HAUNTING FABLE FOR CHRISTMAS

Today I talk about  The Curse of the Cat People. In the early 1940’s rko was suffering a big failure following citizen Kane and other movies leaving the studio in ruins. it turned to its low budget b pictures . Val Lewton was the man put in charge of producing these flims with titles given to him by the studio so came up with movies ideas as he found ways to make these movies into horror classics as he started with Cat People as today I review The Curse of the Cat People which is a perfect holiday horror classic which i review today. The Curse of the Cat People review 

The Curse of the Cat People remains among the strangest Hollywood sequels ever made. Following Cat People, RKO’s 1942 horror masterwork of shadow and atmosphere that also helped delay the studio’s financial ruin, the sequel resolves to occupy another genre entirely. I would call it one of my favorite movies all time as its story is quite lovely. Director Robert Wise, winner of Oscars for the musicals West Side Story and The Sound of Music among several other classic films directs this classic gem that is so strange and different form other horror classics.

The Curse of the Cat People certainly is full of terror and Lewton’s signature dark, foreboding atmosphere and noirish cinematography. Instead, the film evokes the dark fairy tales of Guillermo Del Toro and the deep understanding of childhood fears as it feels like a fairy-tale.  

The film is set in Tarrytown, also known as Sleepy Hollow, and while it was shot in California, the realistic sets, cinematography, and atmosphere perfectly evoke the dreamy, haunted mood of small-town upstate New York. The authentic feel of the film is no doubt due to the fact that Lewton based much of the details of Amy’s world on his own childhood, growing up near Tarrytown. Like Amy, he was fascinated and terrified of the legend of the Headless Horseman. The classic folktale of Sleepy Hollow is discovered by Amy during the film.

Ann Carter is astounding in the role of Amy, taking another otherworldly turn after playing Veronica Lake’s enchantress daughter in I Married a Witch as she gives out such a wonderful performance in her role. Simone Simon who literally plays the role of a good fairy/fairy princess as Irena She’s an angelic presence that, again, could be perceived as evil because she is so ethereal. It also has wonderful acting by its entire cast.

By the nature of the movie’s story you are really in a fairy-tale that feels dreamlike and echoes many other childhood fairy-tale classics with its even Gothic touches that feel right out of a fairy-tale. I used adore to read old fairy-tales as a boy as had book collecting them this movie really captures that feeling of those classic tales form grim tales to the legends of folk tales that evoke such a dreamlike fairy-tale feeling. 

The film tracks a period of time from late autumn through Christmas and ends on a snowy Twelfth Night. Each sequence is steeped in rich seasonal atmosphere, and the hauntingly beautiful Christmas sequences make The Curse of the Cat People a perfect pick for any spooky flavored holiday season. In one of the film’s most famous scenes, Amy’s family has invited carolers into their home on Christmas Eve. While the merry group gathers around the piano to sing “Shepherds Shake off Your Drowsy Sleep,” Amy remains separated from the group. She hears another soft, distant singing. Gazing out the window, she sees Irena standing in the snowy garden, under a tree frosted with ice. She is singing a different carol — “Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant” — just for Amy. It’s one of the most gorgeous, magical scenes ever put to film.

The Curse of the Cat People is rather a fairy tale in a way it’s very much a movie that feels more dreamlike like the classic fairy-tale classics form The magical tone of the movie is reminiscent of Rene Clair or similar fantastic directors of the era that feels so much more fun to watch unfold on the screen as it captures the childhood feel so great. The Curse of the Cat People is hardly a horror story at all as its more a Gothic fairy-tale which really makes it one of a kind for movies of its time. This is a lovely, haunting film that you will simply enjoy to watch anytime.

Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast(https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest/) 

Out of the extravagant variety of Jean Cocteau’s work the paintings and drawings, the poems, the plays and novels and memoirs, the opera librettos and ballet scenarios—it is likely his films that will have the most enduring influence, and among those, Beauty and the Beast (1946) will have the most pervasive effect. Few films brim with the kind of cinematic magic as Cocteau’s La Belle et la Bête. For its entire 93 minutes, Cocteau implores us to view the proceedings with childlike wonder and suspension of disbelief. His call to order in the prologue asks us to indeed suspend our disbelief form the start of the movie.

a debt-ridden man (Marcel Andre) accidentally stumbles into the lair of the Beast (Jean Marais), a fearsome-looking and seemingly ill-tempered nobleman. The man then steals a rose from the Beast’s garden as a gift for his beloved daughter Belle (Josette Day). At first, the incensed Beast threatens to kill him for those actions. But he relents, saying that he will spare the man if one of his children will take his place as none them but belle stays with him.

The film’s costumes and set designs were inspired by the illustrations and engravings of Gustave Doré (shown above), and the farmhouse scenes are an obvious nod to the paintings of Jan Vermeer. This sumptuous artwork is the perfect muse for Cocteau’s re-imagined fairy tale.

Cocteau and his cinematographer Henri Alekan (who later shot Wings of Desire and Roman Holiday) use reverse and slow-motion shots, mirrors, and other camera tricks to striking effects to capture many of the scenes of the movie. Cocteau’s decision to keep the camera as still as possible was against the prevailing fashion of the time, and according to Cocteau’s diary, the source of some friction with Alekan. Cocteau had this to say in the press booklet that accompanied the film when it was released in America.

French actress Josette Day is perfectly cast as one of literature’s great heroines that really feels like the book’s belle come to life on screen. Belle’s character, played with sweetness and light by Josette Day, is aided immeasurably by the costumes of Christian Bérard. The costumes are somehow of their time and outside of it, both practical and fantastical that makes belle come to life upon the screen.

Like many films made during the early days of cinema, there is a charming quality considering the innovative efforts used to bring this fantasy tale to life upon the screen. . Actress Josette Day stars as Belle, and beloved French actor Jean Marais portrays the Beast. Marias spent five hours in make-up every morning to transform into the tragic character, and special fangs were made and adhered to his teeth transformed him into the Beast each day on set. 

Jean Marais who plays three characters  the foolishly obnoxious rapscallion Avenant whom Beauty loves, the self-pitying but elegant-looking Beast as the three characters he plays are all wonderfully acted by him. Cocteau’s conception of the Beast is a little more canine in appearance and behavior than subsequent versions like the animated film as he simply is quite more like the original version in the book. He is simply a book to screen perfect version of the beast.

Bête slightly differs in comparison to Disney’s adaptations. Most notable is the inclusion of Belle’s sisters and brother, which closely resembles de Villeneuve’s original tale in contrast to Disney’s version which does not feel closer to the book. The metaphoric story is full of visually magical moments, which was new territory in film at the time of its release. Overall it was the cast and crew’s labor of love to create something unique that brought this tale to life. Cocteau’s focus on creating a visual poem gave the film a classical presentation. This is where the advance storytelling of early French cinema is best represented. There is a more romanticized element to Bête compared to its later adapted counterparts that told the tale. Beauty and the Beast (1946) will have the most pervasive effect. Few films brim with the kind of cinematic magic as Cocteau’s La Belle et la Bête shows upon the screen.

The ending was more ambiguous than I had remembered.The Beast’s curse is lifted yes, and he turns into a beautiful Prince.  Belle hesitates to go away with him – she was looking for an escape but might be going in circles. But, with no other options, she flies into his arms and up into the sky to live as husband and wife, future king and queen  but perhaps not happily ever after as we would love to think about in the Disney classic film. Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast is more than just a fairy tale but a beautiful enchanting story on how beauty can be in the eye of the beholder. He wanted to make a poem, wanted to express what he felt through images rather than words, and even though the story takes the form of the familiar fable to translate to screen a magical tale that has such wonderful charm and magic to watch upon the screen any time.

The lost art of screwball comedy

 Today I talk about The lost art of screwball comedy as i will give more in depth talk about the classic genre of screwball comedy which i consider a lost art by today’s time with its funny slapstick humor to its witty and charming lines to its wonderful love stories that have couples matching wits with each other. The screwball comedy was a genre that defined 1930’s and 1940’s in many ways as its what defined the comedies of its period. So lets begin this talk about them.

The lost art of screwball comedy(https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest/)

In the 1930’s and 1940’s,We had movies had movies that began with  a fanciful message printed on screen, beginning “Once upon a time A hangover from the silent era but also an invitation to view a modern urban setting as somewhere romantic and faraway. The device was especially common in screwball comedy.

Screwball comedy (the term was coined by a publicist in the mid-1930s) is one of those genres, like film noir that remains hard to define as what exactly is a screwball comedy or a comedy drama or comedy?  Originally, screwball films were those in which glamorous stars were persuaded to behave like clowns like in bringing up baby.

A full-fledged screwball comedy is always a romance: the story of a man and a woman who remains at arm’s length yet manage to take the utmost delight in each other’s cleverness or foolery to try outwitting the other person. I would point out man of the genre many consider screwball do have these kinds of stories or slapstick humor which is another form of screwball comedy.  I would point out another fine example of the screwball is the battle of sexes comedies where both sexes battled wits with each other. I would say comedy of that would be better refined if we went back to that system of comedy which we be the movies that starred Kate Hepburn in the 1940’s which were comedies.

The screwball also could be very risky subject matters such as the Lubitsch touch comedies which are Trouble in Paradise and Design for Living among other Ernst Lubitsch comedies which were broadly about sex and things you didn’t discuss in society at the time. It’s such a taboo yet a very fun outline that still defines comedy to our date now.

Movies with most of the essential screwball ingredients started to show up on the screen in 1932, notably Trouble in Paradise which led to movies such as bombshell starring jean Harlow in the same year the thin man had another sub-genre of comedy show up the mystery comedy of the 1930’s which has some very delightful classics you should see today.

Myrna Loy and William Powell, went on to make five more movies about Nick and Nora Charles as well as several very good non-mystery comedies, including I Love You Again and Libeled Lady as the duo would be one of the most iconic duos of comedy of any era. I simply adore the thin man movies as they are such classic gems. The powerful nature of the fast talking screwball comedy genre is such a charming one to watch on the screen anytime. You have such wonderful wit and humor and sharp writing and such great humor with wonderful acting to match them upon the screen. It’s time for some examples of this genre now.

 screwball comedy reviews

His girl Friday review

His girl Friday is a classic comedy classic that is directed by Howard hawks. His girl Friday is one of my favorite movies all time to watch again and again. . Cary Grant plays a wonderful performance in his girl Friday. Rosalind Russell gives out an amazing performance in his girl Friday. Cart Grant and Rosalind Russell who make a great team together on the screen. Howard hawks compositions are layered with fore and background action and depth to each of its scenes. His girl Friday is about its dialogue more than its visuals elements on the screen. It comes so fast and sharp on the screen. This is a comedy classic that you will simply adore watching unfold as it’s just so much fun to watch it unfold on the screen.

My Girl Friday successfully combines screwball romantic comedy with biting satire that truly makes it the true comedy classic that you should see today.

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Trouble in Paradise (1932) review

This pre-code sophisticated comedy epitomizes the European attitude toward sex. It is more open in sex. It is pre-code in that nature toward how it plays sex. It is based on Laszlo Aladar’s play The Honest Finder which was the springboard for the movie. The sexual undertones are very frank. I would not call it as sexually open as Design for Living which is far more sexual in nature. This was a taste of what was to come for his works. Trouble in Paradise is a comedic counterpart to a melodrama.

Lubitsch was best known for what we call the Lubitsch touch is a subtitle way of referencing sexual shenanigans that his characters do upon the screen. Lubitsch’s Magnum Opus faced controversy three years after its initial release because of the conservatism of the Production Code. This pre-code sophisticated comedy epitomizes the European attitude toward sex which is more open in sex that feels modern. . The movie is tamer than his other film design for a living for its sexual tone on the screen. It’s a spellbinding comedy classic about a a suave jewel thief (Herbert Marshall) falling in love with his intended victim (luminous Kay Francis) much to the displeasure of his girlfriend (Miriam Hopkins) whom all give out wonderful performances in their respective roles for the screen. . Kay Francis steals this film as she truly shines in her wonderful role that is hard to do with Miriam Hopkins. She is exquisite and enchanting and absolutely charming. Miriam Hopkins gets the better comedic lines and the guy even if lesser then Kay she still gives out a marvelous performance. Herbert Marshall shows an unexpected flair for light comedy while Charlie Ruggles and the ubiquitous Edward Everett Horton provide their usual first class supporting roles that that truly shine in their performances on the screen. Ernst Lubitsch crafts out a masterpiece of early comedy that truly shines in every manner making it a must see comedy classic for all time.

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Ball of fire review

Howard Hawks Ball of Fire is an urban update of the Snow-White fairy-tale with an urban twist. Ball of fire was written by Billy Wilder with Howard hawks directing this movie. It remains one of the finest screwball comedies ever put to the screen.

Ball of fire remains one of my favorite screwball comedies all time. This movie has such wonderful acting by Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper. The ever wonderful Barbara Stanwyck really leads the show as Sugarpuss O’Shea who hides with them for her gangster boyfriend whom she becomes best friends to them in the end. She plays the role in a very wonderful way that really charms you to watch on the screen. Barbara Stanwyck is warming up in this movie for her acting skills are truly growing as it goes along to its ending. . Gary Cooper gives us one amazing performance for the screen.

The groups of professors are all very good supporting actors as Oskar Homolka and Henry Travers and S.Z. Sakall and Tully Marshall and Leonid Kinskey and Richard Haydn and Aubrey Mather whom I would say all give out such wonderful performances on the screen. I would say Henry Travers is among cast of the stand out character actors as he played the angel its Wonderful Life as he plays such an amazing role for this movie. I would say each of these professors are played by very wonderful character actors that each give out wonderful performances. Allen Jenkins is a garbage man seeking knowledge for pecuniary gain as he gives a very good acting   performance. The movie has very wonderful acting by everyone in its cast of talents.

Dana Andrews plays against type as a gangster in one very good performance for this amazing actor of the screen as he as the gangster boyfriend of Sugarpuss O’Shea for this movie. Mary Field as Miss Totten, the daughter of the wealthy inventor who created the foundation really gives a good performance in her role. The whole of supporting cast of many great acting legends all give such wonderful performances.

Ball of Fire is one amazing classic that you should see today.

The Lady Eve (1941)

It’s no accident when wealthy Charles (Henry Fonda) falls for Jean (Barbara Stanwyck). Jean is a con artist with her sights set on Charles’ fortune. Matters complicate when Jean starts falling for her mark. Jean is fixated on revenge and still pining for the millionaire, devises a plan to get back in Charles’ life. With love and payback on her mind, she reintroduces herself to Charles, this time as an aristocrat named Lady Eve Sidwich.

The Lady Eve is one of my favorite movies of the 1940’s. It is one of the best movies that Barbara Stanwyck ever on the screen. This comedy treat truly always delights me anytime I watch it on the screen. Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck truly shine together as a duo as both acting legends give us their finest performances all time on the screen. It has brilliant writing and direction provided by Preston Sturge whom crafts a wonderful comedy classic.

Screwball lost art closing thoughts.

I absolutely love the classic screwball comedies of the 30’s and 40’s. They are indeed fascinating… funny, frenzied and full of crazy antics, witty dialogue and numerous quirks and mishaps. Also starring some of the finest comedy actors and actresses of the era or any era of the screen as such wonderful legends.

I talked about the lost art of screwball comedies today in some depth as i talked about many movies that dealt with this marvelous genre that had such broad and diffrent ranges in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Its such a fun genre that died out by end of 1940’s which should return to our screens today. I hope you enjoyed today’s talk about it and join me again for another talk in the future.

Val Lewton:Shadows And Suspense

Today I talk about In the early 1940’s rko was suffering a big failure following citizen Kane and other movies leaving the studio in ruins. it turned to its low budget b pictures . Val Lewton was the man put in charge of producing these flims with titles given to him by the studio. He found ways to make these movies into horror classics. Cat people was a huge hit so he was given free rein to do whatever he felt about for his movies. He came up idea of i walked with a zombie. Its his third The Leopard Man where he finally hit his mark fully in his ideas.  Val Lewton was a man that was able created many classic movies that do not follow the trends of its genre as his horror films are different then many horror films of its time. Val Lewton crafted out a group of movies that i call the Val Lewton touched classics that truly shine in their own right as they show ideas that was different and takes the movies to a different level. So today i talk about these classic movies now.

 Val Lewton:Shadows And Suspense(https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest/)Cat People (1942) reviewCat People is a movie less about real horror but subjective horrors such as fear of what you don’t see unfolding around you. Our male lead fears that he is losing his wife before he even really got her in the first place. Our female lead fears that her husband is falling in love with someone else. She fears a history that she can’t seem to escape it’s all really subjective as you don’t see any of these horrors unfold on the screen which by its nature is even scarier as it’s playing with your mind which is something truly real and true to life. You often hear noises at night but you don’t see anything unfold as you wonder what the noise was you heard unfold at night.

Simone Simon has the perfect mix of coiled power and haunted vulnerability to lodge us completely in her corner, Tourneur’s mise-en-scene is bursting with clever detail and Nicholas Musuraca’s shadowy cinematography that brings us into the story unfolding upon the screen.

Its use of footsteps as sounds to scare you and shadows makes you feel chills for things you dont see on the screen as is the horror real or its all in our minds it plays a trick upon you to bring fear into your life. I would say the human nature of fearing what we dont see is more scary then what we see unfold upon the screen.

Cat People is the strongest example of atmospheric film-making from the Golden Age of horror cinema that didn’t have the names James Whale or Tod Browning attached to it as a it’s such a wonderfully layered film that uses your real fears of what you don’t see to scare you. The black-and-white cinematography is wonderful. I would simply suggest you watch Cat People today.

I Walked with a Zombie review

I Walked With A Zombie is Based somewhat on the classic story of “Jane Eyre. It takes to Caribbean island mansion to explore the traditions of zombie culture of the Caribbean which is an interesting subject to apply his subjective horror ideals to it as he takes us upon one of the best takes of zombies on the screen.

 I Walked with a Zombie has the feel of a b movie its so much richer then its subject matter of island voodoo. The narrative weaves in some intense social issues, including the legacy of suffering left in the wake of slavery upon the islands.  A township marked by colonialism and a culture struggling to survive beneath it. It plays more like Gothic literature then anything else.the Canadian nurse’s (Frances Dee) visions of tropical enchantment are curtly dismissed by the death-scented plantation owner (Tom Conway) whom both lead this movie as i would say its acting is very good but its much more richer to watch what unfolds on the screen.

 Jacques Tourneur helms the picture with a style that i truly adore even more in this movie then i do for cat people as its use of the subjective horror of what you dont see unfold upon the screen as the fears of what unfolds really does make you fear what is happening upon the screen. The black-and-white cinematography  of  I Walked with a Zombie makes use of shadows in a rich way that feels richer then many noir classics.

I am sure some overlook I Walked with a Zombie because it seems like a low rent b movie at first glace but you shouldn’t do that at all as its a rich movie that really is something truly amazing to watch unfold on the screen.

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The Seventh Victim review

The Seventh Victim illustrates better than any other film the amount of creative freedom Val Lewton’s B-picture department was given by the bosses at RKO. The Seventh Victim has a good cast of talents all giving out good performances. I adore all of Val Lewton’s B-picture’s my favorite would be curse of cat people.

It’s a very effective thriller that deals with themes of the occult and Satanism as the movie explores these themes in very detail with its plot that really is very dark for its time. The film also appeared to influence Rosemary’s Baby, in that the cultists are not depicted as ghouls in hooded robes, but as normal people, old and slightly shabby. Screenwriter Charles O’Neil said he researched the story by visiting a cult headquarters in New York. The people, he said, were surprisingly normal. Some of the older ladies knitted as they chanted to cast a spell on Adolph Hitler. It’s one of those weird stories where the writers find more then hoped in the story to find out about their movie.

It was shot on a studio back-lot. The Greenwich Village created for The Seventh Victim feels realistic. It’s a bleak nightscape of failed poets, Italian restaurants, beauty salons and dark alleys, shady private eyes, psychiatrists who harbor secrets, theatrical troops, lesbians, and devil cults. It was into this odd world that Jacqueline disappeared really feels like the real place.

A number of scenes stand out in this classic movie that you will love to see happen upon the screen. The Seventh Victim also boasts one of the best ‘Lewton walks.’ When Jacqueline tries to walk home alone after being allowed to leave the Palladists’ meeting, she is stalked by a hit man who emerges from the darkness of a doorway she passes on an eerily deserted street. This scene echoes earlier Lewton walks such as when Irena stalks Alice through Central Park in Cat People or the some of the scenes of I walked with a zombie. It really stands out as it shows up on the screen.

The Seventh Victim is a very wonderfully acted thriller that inspired later classics that will stay with you for years to come that you should see today.

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The Curse of the Cat People review 

The Curse of the Cat People remains among the strangest Hollywood sequels ever made. Following Cat People, RKO’s 1942 horror masterwork of shadow and atmosphere that also helped delay the studio’s financial ruin, the sequel resolves to occupy another genre entirely. I would call it one of my favorite movies all time as its story is quite lovely. Director Robert Wise, winner of Oscars for the musicals West Side Story and The Sound of Music among several other classic films directs this classic gem that I adore so much.

The Curse of the Cat People is rather a fairy tale in a way its very much a movie that feels more dreamlike like the classic fairy-tale classics. The magical tone of the movie is reminiscent of Rene Clair or similar fantastic directors of the era that feels so much more fun to watch unfold on the screen as it captures the childhood feel so great.

Ann Carter is astounding in the role of Amy, taking another otherworldly turn after playing Veronica Lake’s enchantress daughter in I Married a Witch as she gives out such a wonderful performance in her role. Simone Simon who literally plays the role of a good fairy/fairy princess as Irena She’s an angelic presence that, again, could be perceived as evil because she is so ethereal.

By the nature of the movie’s story you are really in a fairy-tale that feels dreamlike and echoes many other childhood fairy-tale classics with its even Gothic touches that feel right out of a fairy-tale. I used adore to read old fairy-tales as a boy as had book collecting them this movie really captures that feeling of those classic tales upon the screen.

The Curse of the Cat People is hardly a horror story at all as its more a Gothic fairy-tale which really makes it one of a kind for movies of its time. This is a lovely, haunting film that you will simply enjoy to watch anytime.

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 Val Lewton:Shadows And Suspense thoughts

The early 1940’s rko was suffering a big failure following citizen Kane and other movies leaving the studio in ruins. It turned to its low budget b pictures. Val Lewton was the man put in charge of producing these films with titles given to him by the studio that each of them stands out in their own as today i talked about some of his movies that really stands out that you will adore to see as each of them are different types of movies that all offer different types of tales. I hope you enjoyed my talk today about his movies i hope you join me again for another in the future

Mr. Skeffington

Today I talk about my favorite actress all time whom is Bette Davis for The Third Annual Bette Davis Blogathon.  https://www.facebook.com/Wolffianclassicmoviesdigest

I pay tribute to her today by reviewing Mr. Skeffington today for my friend’s Crystal Kalyana Pacey’s The Third Annual Bette Davis Blogathon today. I am so happy to review another classic movie starring this great legend today for her birthday today. Happy birthday to this wonderful legend of the screen. 

I hope you also check out the work of my friend Crystal Kalyana Pacey’s called IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD as i would also suggest you also read other posts form The Third Annual Bette Davis Blogathon today.

Bette Davis remains my favorite actress all time as my top favorite actress all time. A wonderful actress that was one of the finest actresses to grace the screen, she was one that gave me such wonderful memories of her wonderful image on the screen of a powerful woman. She stood out from other actresses because of her audacity, it was how studios owned the stars, she defied Warner brothers, she was lifting the veil for women in film for their behavior and traits as she did what was right for the character as she was able melt into characters greatly, she was a short woman but always stood out among every-one in the room, she truly is my favorite actress all time I always admired highly Bette Davis. She is always my favorite to watch anytime. She remains one of the best actresses I ever watched on screen as far I am concerned she remains timeless to my eyes. I am happy to begin my review now to honor this legend whom is my favorite actress all time. Let’s begin to honor this legend.

Mr. Skeffington reviewMr. Skeffington is one of the great Hollywood melodramas has both Bette Davis and Claude Rains starring in one of her darkest melodramas. Bette Davis has the showy role in this epic story of a troubled relationship, but it’s Claude Rains as her Jewish husband who jerks the tears in this movie.

Mr. Skeffington is a rewarding Bette Davis vehicle. Bette Davis’s performance is decidedly affected as she plays this Fanny as a young girl, but the pure talent and visual power of this actress makes one believe that she is truly the beauty that she is supposed to be as one would notice how her movements and responsiveness reinforce the sense of someone almost 15 years younger than herself then she transforms from young to old in such a marvelous change of her role to the older fanny as many did not like the makeup of her i find it to be very fine as we see such a marvelous role unfold on the screen by Bette Davis as i would place this performance in Bette Davis’ top tier, along with “Now, Voyager”, “The Little Foxes”, and “All About Eve.

Claude Rains plays the title character with restraint, integrity, and great love for Fanny, but the sense of pathos that he communicates really helps to give the movie a lot of power to his performance that really does stand out as a remarkable performance on the screen. The other acting performances are uniformly excellent performances that all stand out on the screen. Franz Waxman’s score is simply marvelous in my eyes. This is easily Vincent Sherman’s best work as a director as he crafts out a marvelous classic that you should see today.

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I would love to express my great joy today that I got to talk about Bette Davis my favorite actress today by reviewing another classic gem that she starred upon the screen. I would love to thank everyone i hope you return next time for another magical review soon.