98th Annual Academy Awards Nominations

The 98th annual Academy Awards nominations were announced this morning.

The complete list of nominees was published by The Hollywood Reporter.

As was the case last year, I may check out a couple films at some point, but this year's crop of Oscar nominees doesn't hold a great deal of interest for me. I'm sharing the list here for those who may wish to check it out.

I've seen one of the 10 Best Picture nominees, F1: THE MOVIE (2025), which I suspect may have been included as it's a more traditional film appealing to mainstream audiences.

I've also seen one nominee for Best Animated Feature, ZOOTOPIA 2 (2025). I liked it but am not sure it's worthy of the Oscar in this category.

Disney's ELIO (2025) also received a nomination; I hope to catch up with it in the future.

The Oscars ceremony will air on March 15, 2025.

The annual "31 Days of Oscar" festival on Turner Classic Movies will run from February 13th through March 15th this year.

Previous Oscar nomination posts: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. There was no Oscars post in 2009 and just a brief news roundup mention in 2021.

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Tonight's Movie: The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The Warner Archive Collection has recently released some enjoyable romantic comedies on Blu-ray, including the previously reviewed IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER (1937) and I LOVE YOU AGAIN (1940).

Another romantic comedy out from the Warner Archive in the last few weeks is THE BRIDE CAME C.O.D. (1941), starring a pair of powerhouse actors, James Cagney and Bette Davis.

Somehow I had never managed to see this one before, and I quite enjoyed it.

Is it the greatest film Cagney or Davis ever made? Of course not. And no, it's not really even a top-drawer rom com.

What it *is* is a diverting, enjoyable 92 minutes, a good time with an amazing cast. I watched it during a stressful week -- clearing out my childhood home due to my mother's recent passing -- and it was exactly what I needed. Nothing too deep or demanding, just fun. Go in without the high expectations one might have with these names attached, sit back, and enjoy.

Davis plays the wealthy, flighty daughter of Eugene Pallette, who has impulsively decided to elope with narcissistic nightclub singer Jack Carson after knowing him only four days. Carson's blithely oblivious character is one of the best things about the movie.

Davis's outraged father hires a pilot (Cagney) who needs to earn money fast to kidnap his daughter and fly her to meet him in Amarillo.

The plane is forced down and lands safely in the California desert, where Davis and Cagney stumble across a ghost town inhabited by an old man (Harry Davenport) who thankfully has plenty of food.

Father and fiance eventually show up in the ghost town, with the media and law enforcement trailing along, but in the meantime Cagney and Davis have discovered a spark of attraction...

The spark between Cagney and Davis admittedly isn't much, but it was just enough to make me smile, as they acted out a script written by Julius J. and Philip G. Epstein, based on a story by Kenneth Earl and M.M. Musselman.

Davis looks great in a wardrobe by Orry-Kelly, and she seems to be having fun with her change-of-pace role, sandwiched in between the drama of THE GREAT LIE (1941) and THE LITTLE FOXES (1941).

Cagney could play this kind of pugnacious character (who's, of course, really a nice guy) in his sleep, and I enjoyed his interactions with actors such as Davenport, Carson, and Pallette.

One of the best things about the film is the extensive supporting cast. The players not already named above include Stuart Erwin, Edward Brophy, George Tobias, William Frawley, Douglas Kennedy, William Hopper, Herbert Anderson, Chick Chandler, John Gallaudet, James Flavin, and Richard Travis. They simply don't make casts like this anymore, and it's a true delight seeing all these faces on the screen.

Look for Mary Brodel as a phone operator early in the film; classic movie buffs will recognize her instantly, as she looks just like her sister, Warner Bros. star Joan Leslie. Leslie, of course, starred with Cagney in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) the following year.

THE BRIDE CAME C.O. D. was directed by William Keighley and filmed in black and white by Ernie Haller. Locations included Burbank Airport and Death Valley.

The Blu-ray print is from a 1080p HD master from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. It looks and sounds great.

Plentiful extras include the trailer, plus a trailer for the Warner Bros. film HONEYMOON FOR THREE (1941); a newsreel; the shorts CARNIVAL OF RHYTHM (1941) and FORTY BOYS AND A SONG (1941); the cartoons: PORKY'S POOCH (1941), SADDLE SALLY (1941), RHAPSODY IN RIVETS (1941), and THE BIRD CAME C.O.D. (1942); and best of all, a December 1941 Lux Radio Theater production of the story starring Bob Hope and Hedy Lamarr.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...The Warner Archive Collection will have a shorter list of Blu-ray releases in February than usual, but there are some great titles: TARZAN AND HIS MATE (1934), STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR (1940), and MOGAMBO (1953), please LOOPY DE LOOP: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION, a two-disc set of four dozen Hanna-Barbera cartoons. WAC expects to resume a larger slate of releases in March.

...Season 6 of the delightful series ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL comes to DVD and Blu-ray on March 3rd.

...Coming from TCM and Running Press in April: FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT MENUS: RECIPES & FILMS FOR UNFORGETTABLE TIMES TOGETHER by Leonard and Jessie Maltin.

...A reboot of THE ROCKFORD FILES? Just say no...

...Among the titles coming to Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection in April: TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932) and POINT BLANK (1967), plus an Eclipse collection of films directed by Kinuyo Tanaka.

...JUMBO, by Scott Bateman, about the Boeing 747, looks interesting. It's coming out in February.

...Having enjoyed a few Jean Gabin films directed by Gilles Grangier in recent months, I'm excited about an upcoming release from Kino Lorber, MAIGRET SEES RED (1963). It will be out on March 17th.

...A roundup of recent reviews: Dennis Seuling of The Digital Bits has reviewed the new Warner Archive Blu-rays IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER (1937) and THE BRIDE CAME C.O.D. (1941)...CineSavant Glenn Erickson reviews the new Criterion Collection release of CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935)...Rachel has written about YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998) at Hamlette's Soliloquy...Toni Ruberto has written about the fun sci-fi film THE MONOLITH MONSTERS (1957) for Classic Movie Hub...and Denise of Mousesteps reviews the new Leslie Iwerks documentary DISNEYLAND HANDCRAFTED (2026), which will debut on Disney+ next week.

...Speaking of Disneyland history, here's an interesting title coming in April from Princeton University Press: DISNEYLAND AND THE RISE OF AUTOMATION: HOW TECHNOLOGY CREATED THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH by Roland Betancourt. (Via Keith Buczak.)

...On February 7th I'll be attending a sold-out D23 25th anniversary celebration of Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Hotel.  A Walt Disney Imagineering panel discussion will be followed later in the day by a dessert party with reserved seating at the World of Color show. (It's been 15 years since I went to another special World of Color showing.)

...Raquel Stecher's latest list of upcoming classic film books has just been posted at her site Out of the Past. Titles which caught my eye included HITCHCOCKIAN THRILLERS: MUST-SEE FILMS IN THE STYLE OF THE SUSPENSE MASTER by Stephen Rebello for Bloomsbury, STEVE COCHRAN: BAD BOY OF HOLLYWOOD by Michelangelo Capua for University Press of Mississippi, and JOHNNY GUITAR by Brooks E. Hefner for the Reel West series from the University of New Mexico Press.

...Back in 2020 I reviewed 3-D Rarities, Vol. II, which included the film SWORD OF GRANADA (1953). Volume III is on the way thanks to Kickstarter funding.

...Attention Southern Californians: Next weekend, January 24th, John Ford's THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) will be screened in 35mm at The Autry. The film will be introduced by our daughter's former USC cinema professor, Dr. Drew Casper.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my January 10th column.

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Tonight's Movie: I Met Him in Paris (1937) - A Universal Blu-ray Review

The very enjoyable romantic comedy I MET HIM IN PARIS (1937) has just been released on Blu-ray by Universal.

This is one of a quartet of new Blu-ray releases starring Claudette Colbert. The other titles are MAID OF SALEM (1937), ZAZA (1938), and SKYLARK (1941). I'll be reviewing SKYLARK at a future date.

I last saw I MET HIM IN PARIS back in 2009 when it was released on DVD in the six-film Claudette Colbert Collection. MAID OF SALEM was also part of that set. I very much enjoyed revisiting it.

Claudette plays Kay Denham, a department store employee who's saved up for a dream vacation, spending three weeks in Paris. She leaves behind her boring beau (Lee Bowman) and boards a ship, bound for adventure.

When Kay initially arrives in Paris she's lonely, but she soon attracts not one but two admirers: Enthusiastic Gene (Robert Young), who tells Kay he loves her when they've scarcely met, and the more sober and serious George (Melvyn Douglas).

George and the audience know what Kay doesn't: Gene's intentions aren't honorable, because he's already married to Helen (Mona Barrie).

Before Helen shows up in the picture, Kay, Gene, and George head for Switzerland. Much of the film was shot on location in Idaho, and the most charming scenes in the film find Douglas and Colbert ice skating in an extensive sequence. They're very good!

While Young's character quickly changes from lovestruck young swain to sleaze, Douglas's George quietly pines over Kay -- and makes sure Gene doesn't take advantage of her. This was a reunion for Douglas and Colbert, who had previously appeared in SHE MARRIED HER BOSS (1935), and they're an appealing duo.

The story itself is a bit unusual, with the theme of two American men and a woman in Paris (for at least part of the story!) somewhat calling to mind Lubitsch's pre-Code DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933).

Though made firmly in the era of Production Code enforcement, I MET HIM IN PARIS also manages to be fairly risque, with Gene having designs on Kay which don't involve marriage and George making sure he's unsuccessful.

Colbert is charming as always, and she has an incredible wardrobe designed by Travis Banton. As I commented in my 2009 review, it reminds me of Alice Faye having "saved up" for a spectacular wardrobe in WEEK-END IN HAVANA (1941) a few years later.

For a few more thoughts on this film, please click over to my 2009 review.

I MET HIM HIM IN PARIS runs 86 minutes. The screenplay by Claude Binyon was based on a story by Helen Meinardi.

The film was directed by Wesley Ruggles and filmed in black and white by Leo Tover.

Universal's Blu-ray print isn't perfect, with the film slightly showing its age here and there, but on the whole it looks very good, especially the ice skating sequences. Sound quality is strong.

There are no extras on the disc, but it does include English-language captions.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Universal for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. It may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...The TCM Classic Film Festival will have its second annual "pop-up" event in New York City on January 31st, featuring Michael Douglas and Bradley Cooper. Details are here.

...Cartoon Research has a look at some of the books coming out on animation topics this year. I've already purchased MICKEY MOUSE IN THE 1930S: THE CHRISTMAS SEASON by Didier Ghez, and I'm intrigued by animation historian Mindy Johnson's upcoming book on animator Bessie Mae Kelley.

...Universal recently put out a quartet of Claudette Colbert Blu-rays; I'll be reviewing I MET HIM IN PARIS (1937) and SKYLARK (1941) soon. Now comes the great news that next month Universal will put out four Bing Crosby films on Blu-ray: DOUBLE OR NOTHING (1937), SING, YOU SINNERS (1938), BIRTH OF THE BLUES (1941), and HERE COME THE WAVES (1944). Also due on Blu-ray from Universal next month: THE BENNY GOODMAN STORY (1956).

...At The Hannibal 8, Toby has details on an upcoming Blu-ray of DRAGONFLY SQUADRON (1953).

...Coming soon from Kino Lorber: LE CHOC (1982), also known as SHOCK, starring Catherine Deneuve and Alain Delon.

...A roundup of recent reviews begins with a detailed and informative look at Joel McCrea in STRANGER ON HORSEBACK (1955) by Bud and RR at Jeff Arnold's West. I've also recently reviewed it...At 50 Westerns From the 50s, Toby takes a look at Via Vision's release of Audie Murphy in SIX BLACK HORSES (1962)...Tynan of 4 Star Films has reviewed Cyd Charisse and Dan Dailey in MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS (1956)...Jessica reviews the little-known Disney film THE WALTZ KING (1963) at Comet Over Hollywood...and Karen Burroughs Hannsberry shares a quintet of lesser-known film noir favorites in her Noir Nook column for Classic Movie Hub.

...Coming next month from America's Test Kitchen: DINNER TONIGHT: 200 QUICK RECIPES FOR INSPIRED WEEKNIGHT COOKING.

...The always-enjoyable Greenbriar Picture Shows site has just turned 20. In his anniversary column, John McElwee looks back at some favorite film books. Several are on my own shelves, including this classic MGM history.

...I published my annual year in review on New Year's Day, and over the past few days I've enjoyed reading 2025 viewing recaps from other bloggers. Phyllis Loves Classic Movies posted her viewing stats; some of her totals were close to my own! Jessica wrote a great piece on her Favorite First-Time Watches at her site Comet Over Hollywood, and Bianca and Virginia of The Tinseltown Twins also each published an individual year in review.

...Vinegar Syndrome has announced a collaboration to release roughly 40 Warner Bros. titles.

...Last weekend I went to the Los Feliz 3 Theatre for a Sunday afternoon screening of EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE (1933). It was great fun seeing it for the first time in over a decade, and the timing was appropriate, as Loretta Young's birthday was a couple days later, on January 6th. Our friend Kim Luperi signed the book she cowrote with Danny Reid, PRE-CODE ESSENTIALS, published by TCM and Running Press.

...Notable Passings: French actress Brigitte Bardot has passed away at the age of 91...Roger Ewing, who appeared on TV's GUNSMOKE from 1965 to 1967, has died at 83...Producer Andy Friendly, son of famed television executive Fred Friendly and the husband of the late actress Patricia Crowley, has passed on at the age of 74. Crowley died last September at the age of 91...Mark Masek, the author of numerous guides to Southern California cemeteries, has died at the age of 68. His best-known book is HOLLYWOOD REMAINS TO BE SEEN.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my December 27th column.

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Tonight's Movie: Without Honor (1932) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Last summer Kino Lorber released the excellent early '30s Western LAW AND ORDER (1932) in a restored version.

LAW AND ORDER stars Walter Huston and Harry Carey (Sr.) and was directed by Edward L. Cahn. My LAW AND ORDER review may be read here. In a nutshell, it's an excellent movie in a fine print, and the disc includes interesting extras.

I wanted to circle back to this disc, as one of the extras included on the Blu-ray is another Harry Carey film released the same year, WITHOUT HONOR.

I'll insert a quick side explanatory note here that many of the film's posters have an incorrect title, WITHOUT HONORS.

WITHOUT HONOR is a 66-minute film written by Harry L. Fraser from a story by Lee Sage; it was directed by William Nigh and filmed by Edward Linden.

The story concerns gambler Pete Marlan (Carey), who finds himself on the side of law and order when his younger brother Jack (Lee Sage), a Texas Ranger, is killed. (It's of note that Sage also wrote the story, as mentioned above.)

Along the way there's also a LORNA DOONE type story about a baby taken from her mother who's now a young woman, Bernice (Mary Jane Irving), raised by a cruel badman (Gibson Gowland).

Bernice is actually the long-missing daughter of a saloon employee (Mae Busch) who's been helpful to Pete.

I'll say at the outset this is one of the "creakier" early '30s Westerns I've seen, with some pretty awkward acting and line deliveries.

That said, I really enjoyed it! As my friend Toby Roan -- who recorded the film's commentary -- said in a comment at his site, "It's a cool, creaky old cowboy movie." Exactly right.

There was something rather appealing to me about the film's roughness and stilted acting; it had a sort of authenticity I liked. It almost gives the feeling that one is standing next to the camera peering directly at early sound Western filmmaking.

That authentic feel was aided by some excellent, unfamiliar exterior locations; IMDb says it was shot around Kernville in Northern California.

Carey is always interesting, lazily casual one moment and jumping into action the next. The film may not boast high-level acting from the rest of the cast, but at the same time it's never dull; some of the creative touches include a dog used for smuggling!

At just a little over an hour, the story moves quickly and maintains viewer interest.

The print is far rougher than LAW AND ORDER, with lines running up and down the picture at various points, but it doesn't have any distracting dialogue jumps or more serious problems and is entirely watchable. The soundtrack is fine.

This is the kind of film I'm delighted to have included as an extra, just to be able to see it.

This set is highly recommended.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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New Western RoundUp Column: Tom Tyler

My latest column is now posted at Classic Movie Hub!

This month's Western RoundUp column is all about "B" Western star Tom Tyler and the recently released Tom Tyler Silent Film Collection.

This Blu-ray set consists of two Tyler films, THE MAN FROM NEVADA (1929) and THE LAW OF THE PLAINS (1929), both of which have long been unavailable for viewing.  Full details are included in my article.

John Ford fans, incidentally, will recognize Tyler for his role as Luke Plummer in STAGECOACH (1939).

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub to check out my column, and thanks very much for reading!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; April 2020; May 2020; June 2020; July 2020; August 2020; September 2020; October 2020; November 2020; December 2020; January 2021; February 2021; March 2021; May 2021; June 2021; June 2021 (No. 2); July 2021; August 2021; September 2021; November 2021; December 2021; December 2021 (No. 2); January 2022; February 2022; March 2022; April 2022; May 2022; June 2022; July 2022; August 2022; September 2022; November 2022; November 2022 (No. 2); January 2023 (No. 1); January 2023 (No. 2); March 2023; April 2023; May 2023 (No. 1); May 2023 (No. 2); June 2023; July 2023; September 2023; September 2023 (No. 2); October 2023; November 2023; December 2023; January 2024; February 2024; March 2024; April 2024; May 2024; June 2024; July 2024; August 2024; September 2024; October 2024; November 2024; December 2024; January 2025; February 2025; March 2025; April 2025; May 2025; June 2025; July 2025; August 2025; September 2025; October 2025; November 2025.

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Tonight's Movie: Lady of Burlesque (1943) - A Film Masters Blu-ray Review

The comedic murder mystery LADY OF BURLESQUE (1943), originally released by United Artists, has just been released in a very fine Blu-ray print by Film Masters.

This was my first viewing of the movie, so I haven't seen previous prints, but, especially for a film which has been in the public domain for years, it's hard to imagine it looking and sounding better. The print is from a new 4K scan from "original 35mm archival elements."

LADY OF BURLESQUE was based on a novel by Gypsy Rose Lee. Barbara Stanwyck plays "burlesque artist" Dixie Daisy (real name: Deborah Hoople), star of a popular burlesque review in an old opera house.

Along with headlining, Dixie juggles a tentative romance with comic Biff Brannigan (Michael O'Shea, in his film debut), as well as friendships and rivalries among her female colleagues.

The theater is rocked by multiple murders, and while the cast size each other up warily, Inspector Harrigan (Charles Dingle) is on the case.

The wordy, witty screenplay by James Gunn and the peppy direction of this 91-minute film by William A. Wellman are both a blessing and a problem: There's always something going on and someone saying something, but it's easy to get a bit lost in the mystery.

There's a considerable amount of dialogue and a fair amount of similar-looking blondes in the cast, which can make it a bit of a challenge keeping things straight at times. Janis Carter, later a fascinating if minor noir star, is a visual standout but her role is relatively limited.

Stanwyck and O'Shea have a nice camaraderie, and Stanwyck also does some impressive dance moves. I watched carefully to see if she was being doubled but it appears she did a cartwheel and a few other tricky moves herself.

I've very much enjoyed O'Shea in supporting roles in later films such as MR. DISTRICT ATTORNEY (1947), SMART WOMAN (1948), and THE MODEL AND THE MARRIAGE BROKER (1951), so it was a pleasure to see him as a leading man at the start of his film career. O'Shea married Virginia Mayo in 1947, a marriage which lasted until his passing in 1973.

LADY OF BURLESQUE was filmed in black and white by Robert De Grasse. The score includes a couple of tunes by Sammy Cahn and Harry Akst.

One of the film's additional plus factors is its creative set design; for instance, characters exit through dressing room windows to walk across a roof and go into a restaurant kitchen. There's also a ventilation pipe which allows the male and female cast members to shout at one another from their separate dressing rooms.

The supporting cast includes Pinky Lee, Iris Adrian, Stephanie Bachelor, J. Edward Bromberg, Gloria Dickson, Marion Martin, Victoria Faust, Gerald Mohr, Frank Fenton, and George Chandler.

This Limited Edition release from Film Masters comes with a cardboard slipcover and a glossy booklet containing an essay on the film by Susan King, formerly of the Los Angeles Times. There's a commentary track by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry; I noted that captions were listed on the disc menu not only for the film but for the commentary track.

LADY OF BURLESQUE is a fun movie with a distinctive tone and environment, and it's presented at its best in this Film Masters release. Recommended.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Film Masters for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. It may be purchased via Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Tonight's Movie: Rhine Virgin (1953) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I recently reviewed the first film in Kino Lorber's reissue of their three-film French Noir Collection.

That film, SPEAKING OF MURDER (1957), starred Jean Gabin and was directed by Gilles Grangier.

Last night I dipped into the brand-new French Noir Collection II, also from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, and watched RHINE VIRGIN (1953).

RHINE VIRGIN, titled LA VIERGE DU RHIN in its native France, also stars Gabin and was directed by Grangier.

Thanks to these films and Kino Lorber's single-title release of HI-JACK HIGHWAY (1955), aka GAS-OIL, I've developed quite an appreciation for the Gabin-Grangier collaborations. Happily, I have many more of their joint films to explore, as they worked together a dozen times.

RHINE VIRGIN is the name of a barge which takes on Martin Schmidt (Gabin) as a last-minute crew member for a trip to Strasbourg.

Schmidt is actually Jacques Ledru, who was reported missing during the war.

Years after the war has ended, Jacques is now finally able to return to Strasbourg and investigate the fate of his shipping company, which was taken over by his wife Genevieve (Elina Labourdette) and her new husband (Renaud Mary) in his absence.

Genevieve and her husband might resort to murder to rid themselves of Jacques, who is aided by his firm's loyal secretary Anna (Andree Clement) and also Maria (Nadia Gray), the daughter of the barge captain.

RHINE VIRGIN was an entertaining 82 minutes, written by Jacques Sigurd based on a novel by Pierre Nord.

Gabin is a compelling actor, and I also especially enjoyed Albert Dinan as the cagey police inspector and Clement as the secretary, who is so loyal to Ledru she had me wondering if she would kill for him!

One of the intriguing aspects, as alluded to above, is there's a murder but the audience doesn't know "whodunit" and learns right along with Jacques.

The pace could have moved at a somewhat faster clip near the end as the mystery is solved, but that's my only criticism of a solid story which I enjoyed watching. There's a nice touch of romance along with the murder and intrigue, creating a well-rounded and interesting tale.

Extensive location photography in Strasbourg and on the Rhine, filmed in black and white by Marc Fossard, adds another note of interest.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray is from a 4K restoration. The black and white is crisp and looks great throughout.

This film is part of a two-disc, four-film set with a cardboard slipcase. This film contains a commentary track by Heath Holland and Max Allan Collins, plus the trailer and a gallery of five additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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Tonight's Movie: Stranger on Horseback (1955) - A Kit Parker Films Blu-ray Review

A piece of very good news in 2025 was the recent Blu-ray release of STRANGER ON HORSEBACK (1955) by Kit Parker Films in a restored special edition.

When I first watched this film back in 2009 via a VCI DVD, the print was in poor shape, with variable colors, though watchable.

The DVD came from the only known surviving print of the film, held at the British Film Institute. That print was also the source material for this Blu-ray, but thanks to new technology and improvements in restoration techniques in the intervening years, the Blu-ray looks quite a bit better than I recall the DVD.

STRANGER ON HORSEBACK has a short running time for a picture with an "A" cast, clocking in at just 66 minutes, but it's enjoyable thanks to a well-directed cast and beautiful Sedona locations.

Joel McCrea plays Rick Thorne, a circuit judge who rides into a dusty town and attempts to bring Tom (Kevin McCarthy), the son of the local cattle baron (John McIntire), to justice for murder.

The young man claims self-defense, but Judge Thorne says that's for a jury to decide. He arrests Tom and determines he must move both the accused and a pair of witnesses (Nancy Gates and Walter Baldwin) to another town for a fair trial.

That's pretty much the story, but it's nicely told due to a colorful cast, including John Carradine as a prosecutor and Emile Meyer as a cat-loving sheriff. Familiar faces like Roy Roberts and Dabbs Greer are also on hand.

The cast also includes the curiously cast Miroslava, a Czech actress who plays McIntire's fiery niece Amy Lee; she's attracted to the judge and gradually comes to respect him as well. Sadly, the actress died before the film was released.

The movie was directed by Jacques Tourneur, an old friend of McCrea's who also directed him in STARS IN MY CROWN (1950) and WICHITA (1955). I've really come to appreciate Tourneur, a polished craftsman who makes the best of the fairly limited material here.

The screenplay, based on a story by Louis L'Amour, was written by Herb Meadow and Don Ryan. It was filmed in Anscocolor by Ray Rennahan, with a score by Paul Dunlap.

The filmmakers add in nice touches, including well-designed action scenes -- watching the judge briskly take down a man taunting him in the street is a pleasure -- and the previously mentioned cat.

A side note: Watch for an odd moment when Judge Thorne goes to speak with a woman (Jacklyn Green) and her blouse is repeatedly moving, as though in a breeze, despite the fact they're indoors. I looked for a plausible reason for it, such as an open window, but I was baffled.

The new 2K restoration picture is by no means perfect, but as mentioned, it seems to be quite an improvement over the previous DVD release. Kudos to the restorationists who worked with the only available source material to bring home viewers the best print possible. Perhaps someday a print in better condition will turn up, but for now I'm quite grateful to be able to see it looking as good as it does.  

Curiously, the DVD box says on the back cover that the disc is closed-captioned, but I found no captions on the disc; the absence is confirmed by a listing at Blu-ray.com. I would have found them useful, given that my hearing is imperfect and the soundtrack is what I would describe as a bit "mushy." It's not bad, just lacking a certain crispness; I assume this is due to the original source material.

Disc extras include an informative nine-minute featurette, THUNDER IN THE SADDLE: THE MAKING OF STRANGER ON HORSEBACK, written by Toby Roan, who also does the honors with a commentary track. The featurette includes a brief "before and after" restoration comparison. Additional extras consist of the trailer and image galleries, including the script, a very nice add to this disc.

Last year Kit Parker Films also put out an excellent double feature Blu-ray set of APACHE RIFLES (1964) and PANHANDLE (1948), which I wrote about in my Western RoundUp column at Classic Movie Hub. I encourage Western fans to support these releases so that we'll see more of them in the future!

Thanks to Kit Parker Films for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. This film may be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week...

...is taking the weekend off.

It's been a relatively slow news week due to the holidays, so I'm going to focus on other writing projects this weekend. Stay tuned for my next disc review, posting soon!

Around the Blogosphere This Week will return on Saturday, January 10th.

For recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my December 27th column.

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Tonight's Movie in 2025: The Year in Review

Happy New Year!!

It's time for my annual look back at the movie viewing year that was! I'm sure I say this every year, but it's true: 2025 was yet another terrific year of movies, filled with a wide variety of films, including a significant number of "big screen" experiences.

I saw 179 films in 2025.

For comparison, I saw 151 films in 2024 (plus 27 movie-length COLUMBO episodes, which if included raises my 2024 level to 178), 194 movies in 2023, 179 films in 2022, 190 films in 2021, 198 films in 2020, 238 films in 2019, 282 films in 2018, 284 films in 2017, 275 in 2016, 310 movies in 2015 (my record to date!), 286 movies in 2014, 277 films in 2013, 220 in both 2012 and 2009, 226 in 2011, and 211 movies in 2010.

I saw 70 movies in a theater this year. This is a nice jump from the last few years, when I saw 51 theatrical films in 2024, 56 theatrical films in 2023, 42 in 2022, 28 big screen films in 2021, 9 big screen films in 2020, 91 big screen films in 2019, 116 theatrical films in 2018, 102 in 2017, 75 in 2016, 115 in 2015, 78 in 2014, 50 in 2013, and 55 in 2012.

Only eight of my theatrical viewings were brand-new films. Review links for those new titles are below.

77 of this year's 179 films were repeat watches, with 34 of those repeat viewings coming on a big screen. Oftentimes my repeat watches occur at film festivals or in the many great series which run at UCLA, which this year included a pair of nitrate screenings.

For comparison, in 2024 there were 75 repeat watches. In 2023 there were 74 repeat watches, and in 2022 there were 60 repeats. In 2021 there were 74 repeat watches, in 2020 there were 64 repeats, and in 2019 there were 81 repeat watches. In 2018 there were a whopping 92 repeat watches, while in 2017 there were 68 repeat films, 62 in 2016, 76 in 2015, 68 in 2014, 41 in 2013, 36 in 2012 and 2009, 15 in 2011, and only 13 in 2010.

As always, each hyperlinked title throughout this post links to a past review. While it's not possible to list every single movie seen last year or go into extensive detail in this post, it's my hope that the linked reviews will provide resources for further exploration and inspiration for future viewing.

Each linked review includes information on options available for watching each title.

The next section of this post will look at some additional stats, including films seen at festivals and lists of most-seen actors. The final section of the post is a month-by-month review of some additional notable titles not already mentioned.

Here's a look back at the great movie viewing year which was 2025!

...I attended five film festivals this year, beginning with the Noir City Film Festival at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. I'd previously seen 10 of the 12 films watched at Noir City: ROAD HOUSE (1948), which was my lone 2025 screening in nitrate, and OUT OF THE PAST (1947), THE KILLING (1956), TENSION (1949), ALIAS NICK BEAL (1949), PHANTOM LADY (1944), THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW (1944), MURDER, MY SWEET (1944), CRY DANGER (1951), and HELL'S HALF ACRE (1954). First-time viewings at Noir City: DETOUR (1945) and MY TRUE STORY (1951).

...At this year's TCM Classic Film Festival I saw 16 films, four of which were new to me: MOONLIGHT AND PRETZELS (1933), SERVANTS' ENTRANCE (1934), DIAMOND JIM (1935), and GUNMAN'S WALK (1956). I especially enjoyed SERVANTS' ENTRANCE and wish it were available for home viewing.

...Previously seen films at the TCM Classic Film Festival were THE FRESHMAN (1925), THE DIVORCEE (1930), THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY (1936), CAREFREE (1939), THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940), ALL THIS, AND HEAVEN TOO (1940), TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942), A GUY NAMED JOE (1943), BLITHE SPIRIT (1945), THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945), TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME (1949), and LILI (1953).

...At the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, held in May in Palm Springs, I saw 10 films, six of those for the first time. New to me were: SWELL GUY (1946), LUST FOR GOLD (1949), PAID IN FULL (1950), UNMASKED (1950), THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE (1973), and KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE (1950).

...Previously reviewed movies seen at the Arthur Lyons Fest were CRY WOLF (1947) (also here), JOHNNY O'CLOCK (1947), ANGEL FACE (1952), and THE UNSEEN (1945).

...On Labor Day weekend I returned to the Cinecon Classic Film Festival, held this year at the Writers Guild Theatre, where I saw eight feature films and three shorts. The feature films were THE SCARLET LADY (1928), GANGS OF CHICAGO (1940), THE PLEASURE SEEKERS (1964), SHARPSHOOTERS (1938), CITY GIRL (1938), LITTLE MISS ROUGHNECK (1938), INSIDE STORY (1939), and THAT'S THE SPIRIT (1945).

...As I have for over a decade now, I traveled to Lone Pine in October for the Lone Pine Film Festival, where I saw eight films. New to me at the festival were SILENT CONFLICT (1948), THE LOVES OF CARMEN (1948), TYCOON (1947), THE FIDDLIN' BUCKAROO (1933), HANDS ACROSS THE BORDER (1944), BULLETS DON'T ARGUE (1964), and RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE (1925). I also enjoyed revisiting FLAME OF ARABY (1951).

...This year I also enjoyed BOMBSHELL (1933) and DARK WATERS (1944) in conjunction with book signings at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater, and I saw THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY (1936) at the Los Feliz 3 in January, ahead of a repeat viewing at the TCM Classic Film Festival. I loved seeing a restored print of Kurosawa's great HIGH AND LOW (1962) at the Egyptian Theatre. I also saw PONYO (2008) theatrically as part of the annual Studio Ghibli Fest hosted by Fathom events.

...New movies seen in theaters in 2025 were: FLIGHT RISK (2025), THUNDERBOLTS* (2025), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING (2025), F1: THE MOVIE (2025), THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (2025) (seen twice), DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (2026), and ZOOTOPIA 2 (2026).

...Feature-length documentaries viewed last year: MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY (2024), MY NAME IS ALFRED HITCHCOCK (2022), and MARCELLA (2024).

...Hallmark films reviewed in 2025: A MERRY SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS (2023), which was my first film of the year, A BILTMORE CHRISTMAS (2023), and HEAVEN DOWN HERE (2025).

...The worst picture I saw in 2025 was probably YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM IT (1956), seen the first week of the year, but even it had some compensations; it was a strong movie year. Past "winners" in this category: HULLABALOO (1940) from my 2009 list, FORT BOWIE (1958) in 2011, INHERIT THE WIND (1960) in 2012, a tie between DAVY CROCKETT, INDIAN SCOUT (1950) and FLYING BLIND (1941) in 2013, FORT YUMA (1955) in 2014, THE ROBIN HOOD OF EL DORADO (1936) in 2015, MAKE MINE LAUGHS (1949) in 2016, DEJA VU (1985) in 2017, GOLDIE GETS ALONG (1933) in 2018, MADAME X (1966) in 2019, THE MOONLIGHTER (1953) in 2020, THE ART OF LOVE (1965) in 2021, AMERICAN FLYERS (1985) in 2022, THE ANDERSON TAPES (1971) in 2023, and CAIRO STATION (1958) in 2024. Fortunately it's quite rare when I don't find at least some things in a film to enjoy!

...This year I was happy to continue my monthly Westerns column for the terrific Classic Movie Hub site. The index for all of my Western RoundUp columns may be found here. In addition to articles on a variety of topics, including the Pioneertown Western movie location and a preview of the Lone Pine Film Festival, last year I wrote longer reviews of the Westerns THE LONELY MAN (1957), APACHE RIFLES (1964), SHANE (1953), and BULLETS DON'T ARGUE (1964).

...For Classic Movie Hub I also wrote what's become an annual survey of a handful of "B" Westerns. This year I wrote about the "B" films THE BRAND OF HATE (1934) with Bob Steele; FRONTIER HORIZON (1939), also known as NEW FRONTIER, starring John Wayne; BOSS OF BULLION CITY (1940) with Johnny Mack Brown; and ACROSS THE SIERRAS (1941) with "Wild Bill" Elliott.

...Robert Mitchum was my most-seen actor in 2025, with half a dozen films. Also seen regularly in 2025, with five films each, the unusual trio of Audie Murphy, Edward Arnold, and Elisha Cook Jr.

...Seen in four films last year were Louis Calhern, Bing Crosby, Thomas Gomez, George Kennedy, Franchot Tone, and John Wayne. Actors seen in three films apiece were Dana Andrews, Charles Bickford, Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotten, Richard Denning, William Holden, Bob Hope, Herbert Marshall, Ray Milland, Dick Powell, Gene Raymond, and Raymond Stack.

...Ida Lupino was my most-seen actress of 2025, with five movies.  Dorothy Lamour and Barbara Stanwyck followed with four films each.

...Actresses also seen regularly in 2025, with three films apiece: Myrna Loy, Michelle Dockery, Hillary Brooke, Ellen Drew, Rhonda Fleming, Lizabeth Scott, Marie Windsor, and Shelley Winters.

...Below is a month-by-month look at some additional titles not already listed above which I found especially memorable viewing in 2025.

...In January I revisited Ray Milland and Barbara Stanwyck in the colorful if imperfect CALIFORNIA (1947)...MR. LUCKY (1943) with Cary Grant and Laraine Day was a favorite watch of the year, I really enjoyed it...I revisited the crime/noir titles THE KILLER IS LOOSE (1956) with Joseph Cotten, Rhonda Fleming, and Wendell Corey, and NORA PRENTISS (1947) with Ann Sheridan and Kent Smith...CATTLE DRIVE (1951) with Joel McCrea is a longtime favorite...I hadn't seen THE PRINCE & ME (2004) in nearly two decades and very much enjoyed my rewatch...I rounded out the month with John Ford's masterpiece THE SEARCHERS (1956) and George Stevens' very fine I REMEMBER MAMA (1948).

...In February I continued rewatching the "Road" movies with ROAD TO ZANZIBAR (1941) and ROAD TO MOROCCO (1942)...I revisited BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952), in which Ida Lupino is excellent as a widow dealing with a troubled man (Robert Ryan) in her home...THE SPANISH MAIN (1945) starring Maureen O'Hara and Paul Henreid was a top watch of the year, absolutely delightful...I revisited PURSUED (1947), an old favorite "noir Western" starring Robert Mitchum and Teresa Wright...I wasn't especially impressed with Clint Eastwood's JUROR #2 (2024), which had a number of plotting issues...HOUSEBOAT (1958) is an old favorite with Cary Grant and Sophia Loren I enjoyed rewatching...another great favorite is TEACHER'S PET (1958) with Clark Gable and Doris Day...I thought the heist film PLUNDER ROAD (1957) was really terrific, with an unexpectedly tough performance from Gene Raymond...and I checked out I LOVE TROUBLE (1994) with Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte.

...As usual, home viewing in March and April was slow due to seeing many films theatrically at festivals. My home viewing started off well with my first-ever viewing of CRIMSON TIDE (1995) starring Gene Hackman and Denzel Washington...HATARI! (1962) is a terrific "hangout" movie with John Wayne heading the cast...I really enjoyed revisiting the crime films THE SCARLET HOUR (1956) and THE ENFORCER (1951); THE ENFORCER has become a favorite Humphrey Bogart film...THE GLASS WEB (1953) with Edward G. Robinson was another interesting crime film which I saw for the first time...Joan Crawford was great as SADIE MCKEE (1934)...I rewatched the film LIGHTHOUSE (1947), a minor "B" (or maybe "C"!) film I love which was released on Blu-ray...It was great to see the Johnny Mack Brown film WESTERN RENEGADES (1949) have a Blu-ray release...Sandra Dee was cute as a button in THAT FUNNY FEELING (1965).

...In May I really enjoyed Jean Gabin in HI-JACK HIGHWAY (1955), aka GAS-OIL, one of several interesting new-to-me crime films put out by Kino Lorber Studio Classics this year...I've seen CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS (1953) several times and always enjoy it...The "spooky house" film JENNIFER (1953) with Ida Lupino and Howard Duff was a first-time watch...THE FLAME (1947) with Vera Ralston and John Carroll was one of my favorite new-to-me films in 2025...DONOVAN'S REEF (1963), like HATARI!, is a great John Wayne "hangout" film in an exotic locale...and I enjoyed a favorite procedural with Ricardo Montalban, MYSTERY STREET (1950), after it was released on Blu-ray.

...There wasn't a lot of viewing at home in June due to significant travel that month, including a road trip to Northern California and a flight to see family in Michigan. I always love revisiting William Holden and Nancy Olson in UNION STATION (1950)...The restored RHAPSODY IN BLUE (1945) impressed me, including the sheer volume of Gershwin music in contained...I enjoy the sci-fi CRACK IN THE WORLD (1965) although the plot doesn't treat favorite Dana Andrews well...I really enjoyed discovering ROCK, PRETTY BABY (1958). A fun cast and good music...and I saw Audie Murphy in THE CIMARRON KID (1952) for the first time.

...I hadn't seen EXECUTIVE SUITE (1954) in many years and enjoyed seeing it again in early July...The month continued with a revisit of Audie Murphy in DRUMS ACROSS THE RIVER (1954) and a first-time watch of his film THE KID FROM TEXAS (1950)...I saw another Road movie with ROAD TO UTOPIA (1945)...HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951) is a wild film with a great cast, worth seeing despite (or because of?) it's nuttier moments...THE CRUEL SEA (1953) with Jack Hawkins probably ranks in my Top 10 favorite discoveries this year...I also enjoyed seeing HI DE HO (1947) and BOARDING HOUSE BLUES (1948) for the first time...and I loved seeing the MGM musical HIGH SOCIETY (1956) on a beautiful Blu-ray.

...The Jane Powell musicals A DATE WITH JUDY (1948) and TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE (1950) were perfect summery fare to watch in August...I appreciate the early sound Western LAW AND ORDER (1932) more on each viewing...BRAINSTORM (1965) was an interesting discovery starring Dana Andrews, Anne Francis, and Jeffrey Hunter...I love SMOOTH AS SILK (1946), with Virginia Grey leading a wonderful cast, and really enjoyed revisiting it...THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER (1940) with Martha Raye was a fun little discovery, running only an hour...I also quite enjoyed the new-to-me FATHER BROWN, DETECTIVE (1934) with Walter Connolly in the title role...I love the Technicolor version of THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1952) with Stewart Granger.

...September and October were also relatively light on home viewing due to travel and two film festivals. I loved seeing DR. BROADWAY (1942) for the first time in over a decade...I enjoyed my first watches of a couple of Sylvia Sidney pre-Codes, LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE (1931) and CONFESSIONS OF A CO-ED (1931)...INVASION, U.S.A. (1952) was a fascinating wild ride of a cautionary Cold War tale...I began a rewatch of all the AIRPORT films with the original AIRPORT (1970)...FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS (1940) was an unusual comedy with Ray Milland and Ellen Drew...BULLET FOR A BADMAN (1964) was a very good Audie Murphy film I enjoyed seeing for the first time...THE HARD WAY (1943) is another great Ida Lupino film...and I thoroughly enjoyed Hedy Lamarr in THE STRANGE WOMAN (1946).

...November brought me Mario Lanza and Kathryn Grayson in THAT MIDNIGHT KISS (1949)...my favorite Airport movie, AIRPORT 1975 (1974), and the fun AIRPORT '77 (1977)...I love Alan Ladd as THE GREAT GATSBY (1949)...I hadn't seen THE RACKET (1951) with Robert Mitchum and Robert Ryan for many years and enjoyed seeing it again...the romantic comedy DEAR RUTH (1947) is a charmer, and I'm thrilled it's available for home viewing at long last...I enjoyed my first-ever watch of Hitchcock's THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955)...SPEAKING OF MURDER (1957) was a good French crime film starring Jean Gabin...LOVELY TO LOOK AT (1952) is a lesser-known MGM musical but a longtime favorite...I thought I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES (1955) was a solid remake of HIGH SIERRA (1941).

...I wrapped up watching my way through all the Airport movies in December with THE CONCORDE...AIRPORT '79 (1979)...I really liked the Christmas "B" movie MIRACLE ON MAIN STREET (1939) and plan to watch it in future Christmas seasons...Christmas week I had a yen to revisit one of my favorite "comfort films," GREEN FOR DANGER (1945), which is a funny way to describe a movie with murder in an operating room as bombs fall...Barbara Stanwyck is lots of fun in the giddy THE MAD MISS MANTON (1938)...Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and William Powell exude star power in the excellent MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934)...BLIND SPOT (1947) was an interesting little ""B noir starring Chester Morris and Constance Dowling...I loved seeing KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (1952) for the first time; what a cast!...I enjoyed the comedies I LOVE YOU AGAIN (1940) with William Powell and Myrna Loy and IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER (1937) with Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, and Olivia de Havilland...I closed out the viewing year with my first-ever viewing of FARGO (1996), with its marvelous performance by Frances McDormand as a pregnant cop working the case of a triple murder.

I'd once again like to thank everyone who visits this blog, both occasional visitors and "regulars." Your readership, friendship, and support are always deeply appreciated.

I wish everyone health, happiness, and many wonderful movies in 2026!

Previously: Tonight's Movie in 2009: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2010: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2011: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2012: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2013: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2014: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2015: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2016: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2017: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2018: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2019: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2020: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2021: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2022: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2023: The Year in Review; Tonight's Movie in 2024: The Year in Review.

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