Tonight's Movie: Seminole (1953) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review
Rock Hudson stars in SEMINOLE (1953), recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.
Rock Hudson stars in SEMINOLE (1953), recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.
It's time for a review of the March schedule on Turner Classic Movies!
Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the internet...
...The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, now has a Keurig coffee line and seasonings.
...Growing up I read the novel HARRIET THE SPY by Louise Fitzhugh many times. I was interested to learn that a professor from my alma mater, the University of Redlands, has written a book, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO LIE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LOUISE FITZHUGH, RENEGADE AUTHOR OF HARRIET THE SPY.
...Phyllis Loves Classic Movies points out something I never noticed before: The HOLIDAY INN (1942) set turns up again in THE GLASS KEY (1942). Phyllis also shares a great January viewing list.
...I've been meaning to share Sarah Ganske's list Good Movies With Under 500 Checks on Letterboxd. I've seen many movies on her list; it's filled with terrific viewing ideas.
...The Walt Disney Archives has announced that its exhibit at the Bowers Museum, "Inside the Walt Disney Archives," will be extended through April 25, 2021. The exhibit has spent much of the last year closed since it first opened in March 2020. (March Update: The exhibit has now been extended through June 20, 2021.)...Notable Passings: Actress Martha Stewart, who played the murder victim in IN A LONELY PLACE (1950), has died at the age of 98. She was also a big band singer...Oscar-winning sound editor Alan Robert Murray, who worked on 32 films with Clint Eastwood, has passed away at the age of 66.
...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my February 20th roundup.
Have a great week!
TweetToday is the birthday of actor Franchot Tone.
In recent years I've come to greatly appreciate Tone, who makes every film in which he appeared better.
Reviewing Tone's filmography, I'm especially struck by the breadth of his career and how many highly enjoyable films he made. He did a little bit of everything, and did it all well. I'm a bit amazed to realize I've now seen over 30 of his films; review links follow at the very end of this post.
Below are some Tone films and performances I especially appreciate, starting with one of my favorite pre-Code films, William Wellman's MIDNIGHT MARY (1933). He and costar Loretta Young later made THE UNGUARDED HOUR (1936) together.
I thought Tone stole THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935) from Gary Cooper (they're seen here with Richard Cromwell):
He was also superb in a very different role, as the stranded solder turned spy in Billy Wilder's FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO (1943):
He starred in one of my top favorite Deanna Durbin films, HIS BUTLER'S SISTER (1943), one of three films in which they appeared together:
Besides adventure films, romantic comedies, the random Western, and musicals, he also starred in the classic film noir PHANTOM LADY (1944), seen here with Ella Raines:
Another great film noir lead came in I LOVE TROUBLE (1948), which was written by Roy Huggins, creator of THE ROCKFORD FILES, and he again seems to foreshadow a future James Garner role as a wisecracking private eye. Tone is seen here with Janis Carter and Janet Blair:
Tone was particularly adept at playing funny second male leads in romantic comedies such as THREE LOVES HAS NANCY (1938), seen here with Janet Gaynor and Robert Montgomery:
Offscreen, Tone's romantic life was a bit tumultuous; he married in succession actresses Joan Crawford, Jean Wallace, Barbara Payton, and Dolores Dorn; the relationship with Payton led to an infamous incident in which he was badly beaten by Payton's jealous boyfriend, Tom Neal.
In a touching postscript, Tone remained friends with Crawford, who helped care for him during his final illness.
Franchot Tone died in New York City in 1968, at the age of 63. He left behind a wonderful body of work which continues to delight and entertain audiences today.
Franchot Tone films reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: MIDNIGHT MARY (1933), BOMBSHELL (1933), DANCING LADY (1933), THE GIRL FROM MISSOURI (1934), STRAIGHT IS THE WAY (1934), THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935), RECKLESS (1935), NO MORE LADIES (1935) (also here), EXCLUSIVE STORY (1936), THE UNGUARDED HOUR (1936), LOVE ON THE RUN (1936), BETWEEN TWO WOMEN (1937), THE BRIDE WORE RED (1937), MAN-PROOF (1938) (also here), THREE LOVES HAS NANCY (1938), THE GIRL DOWNSTAIRS (1938), FAST AND FURIOUS (1939), TRAIL OF THE VIGILANTES (1940), NICE GIRL? (1941), THE WIFE TAKES A FLYER (1942), STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM (1942), FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO (1943), PILOT #5 (1943), HIS BUTLER'S SISTER (1943), THE HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN (1944), PHANTOM LADY (1944), BECAUSE OF HIM (1946), HONEYMOON (1947), I LOVE TROUBLE (1948), EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED (1948), WITHOUT HONOR (1949), HERE COMES THE GROOM (1952) (also here), and ADVISE AND CONSENT (1962).
My January Western RoundUp column is now posted at Classic Movie Hub!
My annual list of Favorite Film Discoveries was posted today at Rupert Pupkin Speaks!
The column shares a dozen of the films which made the biggest impressions on me from my 2020 viewing.
An additional 12 titles of interest are listed at the very end of the post.
For additional information on any film on my list, simply input the title in the search box at the upper left-hand corner of Laura's Miscellaneous Musings to pull up the full review.
Thanks so much to Brian of Rupert Pupkin Speaks for inviting me to share another list as part of this annual tradition!Previous Favorite Discoveries Lists: Favorite Film Discoveries of 2013, Favorite Film Discoveries of 2014, Favorite Film Discoveries of 2015, Favorite Film Discoveries of 2016, Favorite Film Discoveries of 2017, Favorite Film Discoveries of 2018, and Favorite Film Discoveries of 2019.
Additional guest posts at Rupert Pupkin Speaks: Five Underrated Comedies, Five Underrated Westerns, Five Underrated Mystery/Detective Films, Five Underrated Action/Adventure Films, Five Underrated Thrillers, Five Underrated Films of 1955, Five Underrated Films of 1945, Five Underrated Films of 1956, and Five Underrated Films of 1947.
TweetIt's been quite a while since I last saw a Tim Holt Western, so I pulled out the Warner Archive's Tim Holt Western Classics Collection Vol. 3 and watched HOT LEAD (1951).
Tim and Chito (Richard Martin) are working as hands for Gail Martin (Joan Dixon, ROADBLOCK) -- although Chito, as always, is easily distracted from work by a beautiful lady.
A gang of robbers (John Dehner, Robert J. Wilke, and Paul Marion) are at work in the nearby town of Trail Head, planning to rob a gold shipment due by train.
Dave Collins (Ross Elliott) comes to town after being released from prison. After a friend (Lee MacGregor) of Tim and Chito's is killed during a robbery attempt at the train station, Tim becomes suspicious of Dave, who's being pressured by the robbers to cooperate; they need his skills operating a telegraph.
Dave comes clean to Tim and Gail about his background, and Tim and Chito go to work to set a trap for the robbery gang. This will hoepfully also pave the way for Dave to pursue a romance with Gail.Tim and Chito's usual enjoyable bantering, Dehner and Wilke as bad guys, and attractive filming by Nicholas Musuraca (OUT OF THE PAST) combine for a lively and enjoyable 60 minutes.
This was one of five Holt films costarring Joan Dixon released in 1951-52; I previously reviewed GUNPLAY (1951). I've come across stills of Dixon in another of her Holt films, PISTOL HARVEST (1951), wearing one of the same dresses she wears in this movie! I'll have to see if the costumes are repeated throughout all five of her films; it wouldn't surprise me.
Dixon had a short but interesting career; she's not a great actress yet has a distinctive personality I enjoy, along with striking looks. In HOT LEAD her character, a woman running a ranch with the help of her hands, does not shy away from being assertive, both in business and romance.In addition to GUNPLAY and ROADBLOCK, I've also reviewed Dixon's films BUNCO SQUAD (1950) and EXPERIMENT ALCATRAZ (1950). I look forward to seeing her additional Holt Westerns.
HOT LEAD was directed by Stuart Gilmore and written by William Lively. It was filmed on movie ranches in Southern California's Newhall-Santa Clarita area.
Other than a couple very brief moments with some debris, most of the Warner Archive DVD looks great.
TweetTonight I watched TAXI, MISTER (1943), the final film in the enjoyable ClassicFlix set The Complete Hal Roach Streamliners Collection, Volume 3: The Taxi Comedies.
Gregory Peck stars as CAPTAIN NEWMAN, M.D., which was released on Blu-ray last month by Kino Lorber.
The film's bigger problem is that, while there is occasionally comic relief thanks to Curtis and a flock of sheep, it's very painful watching men in their deepest, darkest moments of agony and despair. At some point I find it hard to call it entertainment. It makes for a rather long 126 minutes even with -- because of? -- some strong and convincing performances.
Among the patients I was most interested in Duvall, with Bethel Leslie as his wife -- in part as theirs was the story which ultimately had the most hope.The screenplay by Richard L. Breen and Henry and Phoebe Ephron was based on a novel by Leo Rosten. The movie was directed by David Miller (SUDDEN FEAR) and filmed by Russell Metty.
The supporting cast includes Jane Withers, Larry Storch, Dick Sargent, James Gregory, Ted Bessell, and Gregory Walcott.
Kino Lorber's Blu-ray is a sharp, crisp widescreen print with excellent sound. The disc includes a commentary track by Samm Deighan, the trailer, and a gallery of trailers for eight additional films available from Kino Lorber.
Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.
TweetMY DREAM IS YOURS (1949) is one of a pair of Doris Day musicals being released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive this week.
Martha initially struggles to find success, until Doug realizes that Martha should be crooning ballads rather than singing jaunty novelty tunes. Martha then makes the big time, but her love life is a mess, as she's torn between glamorous Gary and dependable Doug.
This was only Doris's second film, following ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS (1948), but she owns the screen from her first scene and doesn't let go for the entirety of the movie's 101 minutes. The camera loved her, and she seemed to love being in the movies right back, a completely confident performer.
Doris easily handles both light comedy and tearful scenes, and she sings a number of good songs, including Harry Warren and Al Dubin's "I'll String Along With You" and the title song, by Warren and Ralph Blane. She's a joy.Doris has excellent chemistry with her ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS costar Carson; the viewer feels that they genuinely like each other. I really like Carson in this pair of films; his mellow, supportive personality is appealing.
The cast is rounded out by a dependable cast including Eve Arden, S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall, Adolphe Menjou, Lee Bowman, and Selena Royle. Faces like Edgar Kennedy, Sheldon Leonard, and Franklin Pangborn also pop up, and Duncan Richardson is cute as Martha's little boy.
This is another great Warner Archive Blu-ray print, showing off the glorious Technicolor work of Wilfrid M. Cline and Ernest Haller. The film is absolutely beautiful, with the "vintage" looks at 1940s Hollywood a particular treat. Coming from an era where I first saw many movies edited and riddled with commercials, I don't think I'll ever quite get over my amazement at being able to play a beautiful print like this any time I wish.Michael Curtiz, who also worked with Day and Carson on ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS, capably directed. The Bugs Bunny animated sequence was directed by Friz Freleng.
Extras carried over from the film's original DVD release include a trailer, the cartoon A HAM IN A ROLE (1949), and two shorts, SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ACTOR (1949) and THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER (1950). The disc also has a song selection menu.
Another weekend, and another set of Kino Lorber reviews wrapped up!