Safety Last! (1923) - An Invitation

Last night I posted my list of 10 Classics for 2013 -- 10 significant movies which I've committed to fit into my viewing sometime this year.

While chatting on Twitter, Raquel of Out of the Past expressed interest in the possibility of watching the films on my list she hasn't seen yet.

That comment sparked an idea: I'm trying to spread out my "10 Classics" viewing this year so I don't end up watching so many movies on the list in November and December (grin). I've been planning to watch the first film on my list, SAFETY LAST!, sometime in January.

I'd like to invite any fellow bloggers who are interested in watching and writing about SAFETY LAST! anytime in January to send me the link -- either via email, in comments to this post, or in the comments once my review is up later in the month -- and I'll include the links at the end of my own review.

I'm thinking of it as sort of a low-key blogathon-type idea. The comments to my posts in this series have been such fun, it would be nice to take them a step further and read other bloggers' posts on the same movie!

SAFETY LAST! is available on DVD in the Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection, Vol. 1. The DVD is available for rental from ClassicFlix; unfortunately the disc is in the dreaded "Saved" section and not available on Netflix.

It was also released on VHS.

The lack of Netflix availability or a relatively inexpensive single-title DVD release may make it harder for bloggers to see the movie this month, but perhaps those who have seen it in the past would like to share their thoughts, and general posts on Harold Lloyd are welcome too. I'd like to learn more about him!

I may give this idea a whirl again next month with a film from the list that's a little more easily accessible. In the meantime, if anyone would like to join me in blogging about SAFETY LAST! and Harold Lloyd this month, I'd love to hear from you!

January 13th Update: My SAFETY LAST! post is now posted!

10 Classics for 2013

Although I'm a lifelong film fan, the wonderful thing is that there are always more movies to see for the first time!

For each of the last two years, I jotted down a goal list of 10 highly regarded titles that I wanted to be sure to finally cross off my "need to see" list. Though I regularly see at least a couple hundred films a year, I've found it worthwhile to have a short, manageable goal of significant "must see" films each year, and I've felt a sense of satisfaction completing the lists. Although I haven't cared for all of the films seen as part of this project, I'm glad to now have first-hand familiarity with some well-known movies I had previously missed seeing.

Reviews of the films on the 2011 list can be found linked at the bottom of my post on the final movie seen from that list, SUNSET BLVD. (1950), while my 2012 list is here.

The focus of this year's list has shifted somewhat, with less of an emphasis on popular, big name Oscar nominees -- though a film which won five Oscars can be found on this list too! (Considering how much I love John Ford, it's rather amazing that I have somehow never seen HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY.) That said, these are all well-regarded films which in some cases have grown in stature with the passage of time.

While the 2011 list included some comedies, the 2012 list was filled with long films which were dark in content, so I made a conscious decision to "lighten up" a little this year too.

Some movies on this list stretch me out of my comfort zone; I rarely watch foreign films and never watch silents, so I've included a couple silent films and a French movie on the list. (We'll see if I can get past the problem I have with title cards interrupting the action in silents...) I also don't "do" horror, but I'm a great admirer of Jacques Tourneur, and having watched Val Lewton films in 2011 and 2012, I think I'm ready for the famous Lewton-Tourneur collaboration listed below. I also wanted to make sure I finally catch up with one of Disney's most highly regarded live-action films this year!

I'm especially appreciative of ideas from both my father and my friend Blake Lucas, who each played a significant role in the creation of this year's list.

The list for 2013:

SAFETY LAST! (Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, 1923)

THE IRON HORSE (John Ford, 1924)

LITTLE CAESAR (Mervyn LeRoy, 1931)

HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (John Ford, 1941)

CAT PEOPLE (Jacques Tourneur, 1942)

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Jean Cocteau, 1946)

LETTER FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN (Max Ophuls, 1948)

THE GUNFIGHTER (Henry King, 1950)

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (Richard Fleischer, 1954)

SOME CAME RUNNING (Vincente Minnelli, 1958)

As I did last year, I'll be returning to this post as I see each film, linking each title to its corresponding review.

I'll be watching and reviewing a great many films this year beyond this list of ten titles, and I value my readers' feedback as I continue to explore the world of Golden Era films in 2013!

Happy New Year!

Coming to DVD: Glenn Ford - Undercover Crimes

There's another very interesting set coming soon from the TCM Vault Collection: Glenn Ford - Undercover Crimes.

This five-disc set is due to be released on March 18, 2013.

The titles in the collection:

THE LADY IN QUESTION (1940), Ford's first teaming with frequent costar and lifelong friend Rita Hayworth

FRAMED (1947), an interesting noir costarring Janis Carter, which I saw at the Hollywood Noir City Festival in 2011

MR. SOFT TOUCH (1949), costarring Evelyn Keyes, another interesting film which TCM showed as part of their Christmas film lineup in 2011

THE UNDERCOVER MAN (1949), a solid crime film with Nina Foch

CONVICTED (1950), also starring Broderick Crawford and Dorothy Malone

Follow the links at three of the titles listed above for reviews of each film.

All five films have been restored and remastered. Extras include an introduction by Ben Mankiewicz and photo and poster galleries.

I love seeing TCM release sets such as this and am looking forward to adding it to my collection!

Tonight's Movie: The Glass Key (1942)

One of the very nice things under my tree this Christmas was the Dark Crimes DVD set from the TCM Vault Collection.

The set contains Ella Raines in PHANTOM LADY (1944) and two films starring Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake: THE GLASS KEY, which I reviewed briefly almost exactly six years ago, on January 3, 2007, and THE BLUE DAHLIA (1946), which I reviewed even more briefly back in 2006.

I just saw the excellent PHANTOM LADY for a second time at last year's Noir City Festival in Hollywood, so I've been especially looking forward to revisiting THE GLASS KEY and THE BLUE DAHLIA for the first time in a long while; in the intervening years since my first viewings, I've become much more knowledgeable about film noir, in general, and I've also become a fan of Ladd, in particular. Seeing Ladd and Lake on the big screen in THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942) last year was a truly memorable film experience.

The electric Ladd-Lake chemistry of THIS GUN FOR HIRE is again on display in THE GLASS KEY. In the scene where they first meet, they can't take their eyes off one another, and they seem to be having a wordless conversation all their own while the dialogue swirls around them. They're nonetheless wary of one another for most of the film, despite their undeniable attraction.

THE GLASS KEY is a political drama based on a novel by Dashiell Hammett. Brian Donlevy plays Paul Madvig, a corrupt politico who decides to change and throws his support behind a reform politician, Ralph Henry (Moroni Olsen), when he's attracted to the man's daughter Janet (Lake).

Things soon get messy for Paul in multiple ways: Janet's gambler brother (Richard Denning), who was seeing Paul's sister (Bonita Granville) turns up dead, with Paul a leading suspect; and a gangster (Joseph Calleia) doesn't appreciate Paul shutting down his business as part of his efforts to clean up the city.

Ladd plays Madvig's loyal righthand man, who tries to solve the murder; along the way he tries to avoid emotional entanglements with his boss's girl, Janet, and he also suffers a terrible beating from the mobster's goon (William Bendix).

As I wrote back in 2007, the plot is somewhat muddled at times, and that sequence where Bendix roughs up Ladd goes on way too long. The pace does pick up in the last half hour as the complicated storyline untangles itself; I particularly enjoyed a wonderful sequence with Ladd and Bendix in a bar which is not only visually striking -- take a good long look at that shot of Ladd in his fedora staring at Bendix from across the room -- but has some terrific acting by Ladd, in particular. Watch for Lillian Randolph as the singer entertaining Bendix before Ladd's arrival.

Even when the storyline is murky, the movie  remains interesting thanks to the cast and a terrific sense of style. I particularly admired a shot through window blinds looking out toward a murder scene, and the film also makes wonderful use of shadows. Trenchcoats, fedoras, a rainy cemetery, a possible femme fatale -- it's all in THE GLASS KEY.

Keep a sharp eye out for Dane Clark, in one of his earliest film roles. He only has two scenes but they're memorable, particularly when he's thrown through a window!

Lovely Frances Gifford plays Ladd's nurse when he lands in the hospital. She was a charming actress who did good work at MGM in the mid '40s, starring in films such as OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945), THE ARNELO AFFAIR (1947), and LUXURY LINER (1948), only to have her career cut short by a serious auto accident in 1948.

THE GLASS KEY was directed by Stuart Heisler and filmed in black and white by Theodor Sparkuhl. Jonathan Latimer wrote the screenplay based on Hammett's book.

In addition to its brand-new DVD release, THE GLASS KEY also had a release on VHS back in 1992.

Extras on the TCM Vault DVD include an introduction by Ben Mankiewicz; brief comments by Eddie Muller, President of the Film Noir Foundation; and some very nice stills and posters.

There's more information on the film at the TCM website; the original trailer can also be seen on the TCM site.

May 2019 Update: I was fortunate to see THE GLASS KEY on a big screen at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival.

Quick Preview of TCM in March

Turner Classic Movies has posted its tentative online schedule for March, and it looks like there's a terrific month ahead.

The March Star of the Month will be Greer Garson.

March 2013 will be Garson's third turn as Star of the Month; she was also honored in July 1994 and in May 2004.

Over 20 Garson films will be shown on Monday evenings in March, including her Oscar-winning MRS. MINIVER (1942) and beloved classics such as GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (1939), PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1940), RANDOM HARVEST (1942), and MADAME CURIE (1943).

The month will also include multi-film tributes to directors Albert Rogell and Michael Powell, along with actors Warner Baxter, Charles Bickford, John Garfield, Ann Sheridan, George Brent, Dean Stockwell, and Sterling Hayden. There are also theme days which include dogs, twins, weekends, and film noir, as well as special lineups for St. Patrick's Day and Easter Sunday.

A few relatively little-known March titles I find of interest: KIT CARSON (1940), which stars Jon Hall, Lynn Bari, Dana Andrews and Ward Bond (it also comes out on DVD this month); ATLANTIC ADVENTURE (1935) with Nancy Carroll and Lloyd Nolan; TOMORROW, THE WORLD (1944) with Fredric March; RIVER'S END (1940) with Dennis Morgan; THE GOLDEN HAWK (1952) with Sterling Hayden and Rhonda Fleming; and FIVE STEPS TO DANGER (1957) with Hayden and Ruth Roman.

In the meantime, the current Star of the Month is Loretta Young, with 31 Days of Oscar coming in February.

For more on the current month on TCM, please visit TCM in January: Highlights.

Update: For more on TCM in March 2013, please see TCM Star of the Month: Greer Garson and TCM in March: Highlights.

TCM Star of the Month: Loretta Young

Actress Loretta Young was born January 6, 1913, and this month Turner Classic Movies honors Young's centennial by featuring her as the Star of the Month.

Young is one of my favorite actresses, whom I wrote about at some length in a birthday tribute last year.

TCM's January schedule will feature 38 Young films spread over five Wednesday evenings, beginning tonight, January 2nd.

The 10 films which begin tonight and play on into Thursday morning include some very interesting titles from the early years of Loretta's career, starting with the silent Lon Chaney film LAUGH, CLOWN, LAUGH (1928). PLATINUM BLONDE (1931) and LIFE BEGINS (1932) are among the pre-Codes shown, but of the titles I've seen, my pick of the night is TAXI! (1932), in which the young, glamorous Loretta plays James Cagney's girlfriend.

The lineup is even better on January 9th, starting with one of the more notorious pre-Code titles, EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE (1933), which stars Warren William as Loretta's completely amoral employer. Titles previously reviewed here airing on the 9th include BORN TO BE BAD (1934), PLAY-GIRL (1932), and THEY CALL IT SIN (1932), which I especially enjoyed.

For my money the two must-sees on the 9th are MIDNIGHT MARY (1933), directed by William Wellman, which is possibly my favorite Loretta film of all time, and SHE HAD TO SAY YES (1933), simply because it's so completely outrageous in its attitudes toward women. As one reviewer at IMDb wrote of SHE HAD TO SAY YES, "Having seen lots of pre-Code films over the years, I have to say this was the first time I held my hand over my mouth and gasped." SHE HAD TO SAY YES really has to be seen to be believed. And circling back to MIDNIGHT MARY, it's simply a remarkable performance by the young actress, costarring with Franchot Tone and Ricardo Cortez. Don't miss it.

On January 16th the lineup ranges from more pre-Codes, including THE LIFE OF JIMMY DOLAN (1933) opposite Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and A MAN'S CASTLE (1933) with Spencer Tracy, to a pair of her films from 1938, SUEZ and KENTUCKY. Young's frequent costar Tyrone Power also appeared in SUEZ, while KENTUCKY was one of three films for which Walter Brennan won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in the course of his career. Richard Greene also stars.

There are some charming comedies scheduled on January 23rd, starting with THE DOCTOR TAKES A WIFE (1940) opposite Ray Milland, BEDTIME STORY (1941) with Fredric March, and WIFE, HUSBAND AND FRIEND (1939) costarring Warner Baxter.

On this particular evening a film I especially enjoy is the spooky comedy A NIGHT TO REMEMBER (1943), which costars Brian Aherne.

The lineup wraps up with another pair of pre-Codes including WEEK-END MARRIAGE (1932). Loretta's leading man, Norman Foster, would later marry her sister, Sally Blane, and in 1948 he directed Loretta in the fine Western RACHEL AND THE STRANGER (1948), which is one of the films scheduled for January 30th.

Also playing on the 30th: the delightful THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER (1947), which netted Loretta her Academy Award as Best Actress; the nailbiting suspense film THE STRANGER (1946) opposite Orson Welles and Edward G. Robinson; the very cute comedy ALONG CAME JONES (1945), in which she and costars Gary Cooper and Dan Duryea overcome some really bad back projections with their charming performances; KEY TO THE CITY (1950) costarring Clark Gable, the father of her secret daughter, Judy; the excellent "housewife noir" CAUSE FOR ALARM! (1951), with Barry Sullivan as her dastardly husband; and finally THE UNGUARDED HOUR (1936), a good crime drama costarring Franchot Tone.

Unfortunately there are numerous titles from Loretta's career at 20th Century-Fox which aren't part of the festival, including RAMONA (1936), THREE BLIND MICE (1938), THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL (1939), and four of her films with Tyrone Power. Also missing are her '40s films for Universal and Paramount, such as THE LADY FROM CHEYENNE (1941), CHINA (1943), LADIES COURAGEOUS (1944), and AND NOW TOMORROW (1944). However, given that films from those studios are expensive for TCM to license, the channel has worked around these limitations to round up many titles which are a good representation of Young's prolific career. I'm especially glad that TCM has made the effort to celebrate Young's centennial, as she is so greatly deserving of the honor.

There's more on Loretta as Star of the Month, along with some great photos, in Cliff's post at Immortal Ephemera.

For more information regarding what's airing on TCM this month, please visit TCM in January: Highlights.

Tonight's Movie: The Turning Point (1952)

My first film watched in 2013 was THE TURNING POINT, a title from my Netflix streaming queue with a cast of favorites: William Holden, Edmond O'Brien, and Alexis Smith.

THE TURNING POINT concerns a special prosecutor (O'Brien) and a reporter (Holden) who were childhood friends and are now working together to end organized crime (headed by Ed Begley Sr.) in their hometown.

 The problem grows bigger when the reporter realizes that the prosecutor's cop father (Tom Tully) is on the take from the mob. On a personal level, matters also grow complicated when the prosecutor's assistant and girlfriend, played by Alexis Smith, falls hard for the reporter.

I liked a lot about this movie, starting with the excellent cast. You can't go wrong with this trio of lead actors, and there are a number of other interesting faces in the cast, including Ray Teal as a police captain, Neville Brand and Russell Johnson as hitmen, and a flashy blonde Carolyn Jones as a witness at a hearing.

The police and press versus organized crime is a familiar theme I like, and there are a couple terrific set pieces, including Holden meeting with a terrified witness and the jovial Begley brutally burning down an apartment building where his about-to-be-subpoenaed records are stored. Unfortunately the exciting ending at a boxing match petered out, leaving me disappointed in a conclusion that was too much of a downer. It was a worthwhile movie with several interesting aspects, but ultimately it could have been better.

Although the movie was set in an unnamed city in the midwest, much of the filming was clearly done in Los Angeles, including Holden and Smith going for a ride on the very recognizable Angels Flight Railway also seen in CRISS CROSS (1949).

This 85-minute Paramount film was directed by William Dieterle.

The Netflix print was soft in places but watchable. March 2018 Update: THE TURNING POINT was previously also available at Amazon Instant Video but is currently not available.

May 2018 Update: I had the pleasure of seeing this film again at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival, in a restored digital print from Paramount Pictures.

2022 Update: THE TURNING POINT has now been released on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber.  My review of the Blu-ray may be read here.

Tonight's Movie in 2012: The Year in Review

2012 was an outstanding movie year in which I enjoyed 220 movies.

That total was down slightly from last year's 226 movies, but still comfortably over my minimum goal of 208 films for the year, which averages to four movies per week. It's a match for 2009, when I also saw 220 films, and ahead of the 211 films seen in 2010.

Three dozen titles were repeats this year, which also matches my viewing stat from 2009; that's up from 15 titles rewatched last year and just 13 movies which weren't first-timers in 2010.

Before diving into 2013, here's a look back at this year's viewing. It's impossible to list all the films seen last year or go into great detail in this post, but I hope the links shared here might provide a resource for readers to explore ideas for their own viewing in the months to come. Each review contains links with varied resources available for watching each title.

...First and foremost, this year was special due to the amazing number of films I was able to see at movie theaters. Exactly 25% of this year's total movie viewing was done in theaters, with 55 titles seen on a big screen. That's a feat I'm not sure I'll be able to repeat again, but I'm certainly willing to try!

Five of the big-screen films were new movies, including the latest animated Disney movie; there were also several older Disney films, with release years spanning 1950 to 2001, which I was able to see in theaters including the historic El Capitan on Hollywood Boulevard and the beautiful Disney Studios theater on their lot in Burbank. The remainder of the movies seen in theaters were all from the classic film era.

I was joined at several of these screenings by friends met via this blog; I'm grateful for the connections blogging has allowed me to make with so many wonderful people who share my interests.

...As was the case in 2011, the highlight of my movie year was the Noir City Film Festival at the Egyptian Theatre, where I saw 18 films, plus an encore showing of one title, SUDDENLY, correcting digital projection problems which had occurred the first time I saw it. Films seen for the first time at the festival were THE GREAT GATSBY (1949) and THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942), with Alan Ladd's daughter and Macdonald Carey's son present, along with the son of screenwriter Richard Maibaum; Sterling Hayden in NAKED ALIBI (1954) and SUDDENLY (1954); THE WINDOW (1949), shown as part of a Cornell Woolrich triple bill; Anthony Mann's "French Revolution noir" REIGN OF TERROR (1949), with Norman Lloyd present for a conversation; SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE (1957) with actress Julie Adams doing a Q&A afterwards; George Raft in JOHNNY ALLEGRO (1949); Geraldine Fitzgerald in THREE STRANGERS (1946) and NOBODY LIVES FOREVER (1946), with her son Michael Lindsay-Hogg speaking; a fun "B" flick, CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE (1945); THE SIGN OF THE RAM (1948) starring Susan Peters; and the delightful MARY RYAN, DETECTIVE (1949), with Marsha Hunt present for a discussion. I also had the chance at the festival to revisit several films I like very much, PHANTOM LADY (1944); BLACK ANGEL (1946); SCENE OF THE CRIME (1949); JOHNNY O'CLOCK (1947); and KID GLOVE KILLER (1942).

...There was more great noir viewing around town this year. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosted a series on Mid-Century California Noir, and I loved all four films seen: CRISS CROSS (1949) with Burt Lancaster, Dan Duryea, and the stunning Yvonne DeCarlo, never more beautiful, with terrific L.A. locations including the Angels Flight Railway; EXPERIMENT IN TERROR (1962), a truly scary film with Glenn Ford and Lee Remick, memorably shot in San Francisco locations; a highly entertaining Joan Crawford film, THE DAMNED DON'T CRY (1950), partially filmed in Palm Springs; and the "Technicolor noir" SLIGHTLY SCARLET (1956), with John Payne, Rhonda Fleming, and Arlene Dahl. I also saw Peggy Cummins in person at an Egyptian Theatre screening of GUN CRAZY (1950) at the TCM Classic Film Festival, and at the historic Million Dollar Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles I saw a knockout double bill, PITFALL (1948) and THE BIG COMBO (1955). These films were all great entertainment!

...I saw a significant number of films in UCLA's Spencer Tracy, Budd Boetticher, and Mitchell Leisen series at the Billy Wilder Theater in Westwood; and over at the Egyptian, I revisited two Rodgers and Hammerstein favorites, SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) and THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), both screened in glorious 70mm.

...I saw a mere handful of "new" movies in theaters this year: CONTRABAND (2012), THIS MEANS WAR (2012), WRECK-IT RALPH (2012), ARGO (2012), and LES MISERABLES (2012). Films of relatively recent vintage seen on DVD were MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011) and SOMETHING NEW (2006).

...I saw many Disney films in 2012. Six were seen on a big screen: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991), LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955), IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS (1962), CINDERELLA (1950), WRECK-IT RALPH (2012), and MONSTERS, INC. (2001). Thanks to DVDs I also caught up with THE RELUCTANT DRAGON (1941), THE MOON-SPINNERS (1964), THE UGLY DACHSHUND (1966), SO DEAR TO MY HEART (1948), and revisited a childhood favorite, SNOWBALL EXPRESS (1972). Alan Ladd fans should be sure to see THE RELUCTANT DRAGON! He's pictured here playing a Disney animator in a scene with Robert Benchley.

...The Bay Theatre in Seal Beach, where I saw SUNSET BLVD. (1950) and A PLACE IN THE SUN (1951) early in the year, closed suddenly in August. There's no word if or when it will reopen.

...My most-viewed actor in 2012 was Dick Powell, a big favorite of mine who clocked in with seven films: THE REFORMER AND THE REDHEAD (1950), COLLEEN (1936), PITFALL (1948), SHIPMATES FOREVER (1935), CORNERED (1945), BLESSED EVENT (1932), and a repeat viewing of JOHNNY O'CLOCK (1947) at the Noir City Film Festival.

...Other actors seen most often in 2012: Alan Ladd, George Brent, Tom Conway, Dan Duryea, Randolph Scott, Edmond O'Brien, John Payne, Richard Carlson, Jeff Chandler, Sterling Hayden, Fred MacMurray, Richard Conte, Chester Morris, Victor Mature, and Spencer Tracy.  All of these actors were seen in four to six films apiece, except that in Carlson's case that number includes a film he directed but didn't appear in. That list is definitely a good reflection of some of the actors I most enjoy watching.

...Coleen Gray was my most-viewed actress this year, with seven titles: KISS OF DEATH (1947), THE SLEEPING CITY (1950), COPPER SKY (1957), ARROW IN THE DUST (1954), THE WILD DAKOTAS (1956), FURY AT FURNACE CREEK (1948), and NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947). The year ended on a high note with the chance for me to interview her in December for an upcoming issue of the Dark Pages film noir newsletter which will focus on NIGHTMARE ALLEY.

...Joan Fontaine came in second on the most-watched actress list, with five films, while Gail Russell, Brenda Marshall, Yvonne DeCarlo, Geraldine Fitzgerald, and Nina Foch followed closely with four films apiece. This year I seemed to have watched a more diverse list of actresses than actors.

...For the second year in a row I chose a list of 10 Classics to be certain to finally see this year for the first time. I loved CRISS CROSS (1949) and DARK VICTORY (1939) and very much liked THE RAZOR'S EDGE (1946); I found THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942) and HAMLET (1946) to be satisfying and worthwhile viewing. I could understand others' admiration for BLACK NARCISSUS (1947), but found it difficult to connect with emotionally. I disliked STALAG 17 (1953), 12 ANGRY MEN (1957), THE BIRDS (1963), and especially THE APARTMENT (1960), which at times made for interesting discussion with my fellow classic film fans! I'll be posting my new list of 10 Classics to see in 2013 in the near future.

...My choice as the worst movie seen this year may be a controversial pick in some quarters, but I have no hesitation in naming INHERIT THE WIND (1960), which I found to be cartoonish, smug, and surprisingly shallow, a real disappointment. Since I saw it the first week of the year, 2012 movie viewing had nowhere to go but up from there!

...I was honored to participate in four blogathons this year: I reviewed Hitchcock's ROPE (1948) as part of the For the Love of Film fundraiser...watched Fred MacMurray and Anne Baxter in SMOKY (1946) for a Horseathon in May...reviewed the WWII film WING AND A PRAYER (1944) for a Dana Andrews blogathon in the summer...and saw the spooky THE LEOPARD MAN (1943) for a Val Lewton blogathon last Halloween. I appreciate all the hard work done by the blogathon hosts and think the blogathons help foster a nice sense of community among classic film bloggers.

...Below is a look at additional titles which made some of the biggest impressions in 2011. Believe it or not, I have to leave a significant number of movies seen out of this post or it would be twice as long!

...In January's viewing, Tom Conway took over the Falcon series from his real-life brother, George Sanders, in THE FALCON'S BROTHER (1942). I saw several FALCON films this year and really enjoy the series...CRY OF THE CITY (1948) was an excellent film noir pitting cop Victor Mature against crook Richard Conte, with lovely Debra Paget as Conte's love interest...I loved Ruth Roman and Steve Cochran in TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY (1951), and I'm delighted Eddie Muller will be showcasing it on TCM on the evening of January 17th, 2012...Cary Grant gave a really interesting performance as a steely doctor matching wits with a dictator in CRISIS (1950)...As a fan of aviation films, I enjoyed the beautifully filmed STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (1955), starring James Stewart and directed by Anthony Mann...I found WEST POINT WIDOW (1941), with Anne Shirley and Richard Carlson, to be a very enjoyable "B" movie (my sincere thanks to Mel for his help with that title!)...SAN FRANCISCO (1936) and LIBELED LADY (1936) was a great "1936" double bill at UCLA's Spencer Tracy Festival...I liked Ray Milland and Patricia Roc in Jacques Tourneur's mystery filmed in the UK, CIRCLE OF DANGER (1951) (thanks to Kristina for making it possible for me to see it!)...THE SECOND WOMAN (1950) was an interesting psychological thriller with Robert Young and Betsy Drake.

...In February I finally saw Deanna Durbin's charming SPRING PARADE (1940), which felt a bit like the '50s SISSI movies thanks to the Austrian setting and the story by SISSI writer-director Ernst Marinschka...My favorite Joan Fontaine film of the year was FROM THIS DAY FORWARD (1946), a really wonderful story of struggling newlyweds in the '40s; Mark Stevens plays the husband...WITHOUT HONOR (1949) was a very entertaining example of "housewife noir," with Laraine Day as an unhappily married woman who stabs her lover (Franchot Tone) with a kabob skewer...THE FOREST RANGERS (1942) was a colorful Paramount film with a trio of favorite actors, Fred MacMurray, Susan Hayward, and Paulette Goddard, although the firefighting sequences were somewhat bizarre...THE BEGINNING OR THE END (1947), MGM's engrossing depiction of the Manhattan Project and the dropping of the first atomic bomb, had an excellent, deep cast headed by Brian Donlevy, Robert Walker, Tom Drake, and Audrey Totter...I really enjoyed FOXFIRE (1955), an excellent romantic melodrama from Universal starring Jeff Chandler, Jane Russell, and Dan Duryea. It was based on a novel by Anya Seton.

...March started off on a great note with ROAD HOUSE (1948), a terrific noir with an atmospheric setting starring Richard Widmark, Ida Lupino, Cornel Wilde, and Celeste Holm...I very much enjoyed the Universal courtroom drama THE TATTERED DRESS (1957), starring Jeff Chandler, Jeanne Crain, and Gail Russell (thanks, Carrie!)...TWICE BLESSED (1945) was an early variation on the PARENT TRAP theme, with the talented Lyn and Lee Wilde as the twins -- both ladies are still with us at this writing -- and Preston Foster and Gail Patrick as the parents...I thought Jack Webb's newspaper film -30- (1959) was flawed but very entertaining viewing...THE SLEEPING CITY (1950) was a memorable docu-noir with police detective Richard Conte, a former Army medic, masquerading as an intern in order to solve a murder at New York's Bellevue Hospital. Coleen Gray was the nurse who might not be as sweet as she seems...Budd Boetticher's SEMINOLE (1953) was beautifully produced in Technicolor, with good roles for Rock Hudson and Anthony Quinn...SECOND CHANCE (1950) was a rather fascinating film with a religious theme, originally produced for church audiences, starring Ruth Warrick, John Hubbard, and Hugh Beaumont. The movie itself had a "second chance" after a surviving print was discovered in Quebec and released by the Alpha public domain line.

...April was one of my favorite viewing months this year, thanks to the Noir City Festival and the TCM Classic Film Festival. Back at home, I started out the month continuing to explore '50s sci-fi with EARTH VS. THE FLYING SAUCERS (1954), which I enjoyed a great deal...I thought BLESSED EVENT (1932), seen via the Warner Archive, was a terrific pre-Code comedy. It starred Lee Tracy and Dick Powell, with a great supporting cast including Ruth Donnelly, Allen Jenkins, and Ned Sparks...Another Warner Archive pick, FOG OVER FRISCO (1934), was a very entertaining crime drama starring a scenery-chewing Bette Davis, plus Margaret Lindsay and Lyle Talbot...I love '50s Air Force movies and enjoyed Frank Lovejoy in TOP OF THE WORLD (1955), seen via Netflix streaming...COPPER SKY (1957), sort of an AFRICAN QUEEN tale set in the desert, was very special to me. Although I was a bit perplexed by the casting of Jeff Morrow -- Sterling Hayden would have been perfect -- I thought Coleen Gray was marvelous and ended up rewatching several scenes the next day...More '50s sci-fi: Richard Carlson in IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE (1953), a very creepy movie!...I absolutely loved the deep, deep cast of the survival drama ISLAND IN THE SKY (1953), starring John Wayne and directed by William Wellman. What an amazing group of faces in that movie...I watched the delightful DESIRABLE (1934) for the second time, in which George Brent finds friendship and then love with much younger Jean Muir.

...In May the Noir City Festival ended at the Egyptian and the Mid-Century California Noir series started at the L.A. County Museum of Art. I also had the thrill of seeing cast members from THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) at the Egyptian on Mother's Day! Viewing at home included ESPIONAGE AGENT (1939) with Joel McCrea and Brenda Marshall, sort of an enjoyable forerunner to McCrea's later, better FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940)...I thought the "B" noir HOMICIDE (1949), with Robert Douglas as a Canadian serving on the LAPD, was something of a find, a really good detective film with a strong lead actor, marred only by a weak climax...THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET (1949) was an entertaining little Warner Bros. noir starring Wayne Norris and Janis Paige, with the fun of James Mitchell as a bad guy and a couple ultra-obvious bloopers, including a huge WB soundstage with its door open glimpsed at the end of a quiet residential street...and real-life marrieds Bill Williams and Barbara Hale starred in a good little noir titled THE CLAY PIGEON (1949).

...June was a light viewing month due in part to our summer vacation. I thought Hayley Mills was fun in Disney's THE MOON-SPINNERS (1964), a "Hitchcock lite" mystery filmed on gorgeous Crete, but was disappointed in her earlier film IN SEARCH OF THE CASTAWAYS (1962), which I saw at the Disney Studios Theatre...I liked DALLAS (1950), a Gary Cooper Western with some very amusing moments...I found the WWII spy film O.S.S. (1946), starring Alan Ladd and Geraldine Fitzgerald, to be engrossing...TWO SMART PEOPLE (1946) was an enjoyable noir with John Hodiak, Lucille Ball, and Lloyd Nolan.

...In July 711 OCEAN DRIVE (1950), starring Edmond O'Brien and Joanne Dru, was a memorable noir in a great noir viewing year. I especially loved the location shooting at Hoover Dam...O'Brien was also in the Deanna Durbin film THE AMAZING MRS. HOLLIDAY (1943), a moving film partially directed by the uncredited Jean Renoir...WHEN STRANGERS MARRY (1944) was an atmospheric, nifty little noir from the Warner Archive, with Robert Mitchum, Kim Hunter, and Dean Jagger, creatively directed by William Castle...I saw the beloved Randolph Scott Western SEVEN MEN FROM NOW (1956), costarring Gail Russell and Lee Marvin, on a big screen for the first time at UCLA's Budd Boetticher festival, paired with DECISION AT SUNDOWN (1957), a somber film memorable for Scott's raw performance and excellent supporting turns by Noah Beery Jr. and John Carroll...SOUTH PACIFIC (1958), viewed at the Egyptian with France Nuyen in the audience, was a transcendent experience, much better than I remembered and absolutely stunning in a perfect 70mm print. Seeing it was pure movie joy...RIDE LONESOME (1959), another film seen at UCLA's Boetticher festival, was one of the best Westerns I've ever seen, with a perfect Burt Kennedy script and a great cast including Randolph Scott, James Coburn, and a surprisingly compelling, charming Pernell Roberts...I also loved the Boetticher-Scott film COMANCHE STATION (1960), which costarred Nancy Gates and Claude Akins.

...I saw my first George O'Brien "B" Western, GUN LAW (1938), in August and was impressed with the deft handling of a complex plot and by O'Brien and his sidekick Ray Whitley...Really liked Sterling Hayden in the Western TOP GUN (1955), with a good role for Regis Toomey as his pal...Loved Gregory Peck and Ann Blyth in Raoul Walsh's adventure THE WORLD IN HIS ARMS (1952)...Enjoyed the odd but interesting Western RAW EDGE (1956) with Rory Calhoun and Yvonne DeCarlo because of the lead actors...MAN OR GUN (1958), seen via Netflix streaming, was one of my favorite little discoveries of the year, a creative Western starring Macdonald Carey, Audrey Totter, James Craig, and James Gleason...I found THE AFFAIRS OF DOBIE GILLIS (1953), an MGM "B" musical with Debbie Reynolds, Bob Fosse, and Bobby Van, much more enjoyable on this viewing than when I first saw it a few years ago.

...In September I enjoyed some old favorites while recovering from surgery: Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban in NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949), Frank Sinatra and Debbie Reynolds in THE TENDER TRAP (1955), FOR THE LOVE OF MARY (1948) with Deanna Durbin, YOU'RE IN THE NAVY NOW (1951) with Gary Cooper and Jane Greer, and Sinatra, Michele Morgan, and Jack Haley in HIGHER AND HIGHER (1943), costarring Mel Torme, Victor Borge, and Barbara Hale...September also brought my first Tim Holt "B" Western, THUNDER MOUNTAIN (1947), costarring Martha Hyer and directed by Lew Landers. Really liked it and look forward to more Holt movies...CRIMINAL COURT (1946), a fun "B" movie directed by Robert Wise, starred Tom Conway and Martha O'Driscoll, and happened to borrow a couple songs from HIGHER AND HIGHER, made three years earlier at the same studio...COW COUNTRY (1953) with Edmond O'Brien was another fun discovery; I really like him as a Western hero...THE STALKING MOON (1968) was an absorbing Western with Gregory Peck as an ex-Army scout who comes to the aid of a white woman freed from years living with the Apaches...DANGEROUS MISSION (1954) was just plain fun, with NY detective Victor Mature protecting murder witness Piper Laurie from hit man Vincent Price in Glacier National Park...and FOUR GUNS TO THE BORDER (1954), recommended by my friend Blake Lucas, was a special Western in which Rory Calhoun and Colleen Miller fall in love, growing up and maturing in the process. It really needs a DVD release.

...I saw some very enjoyable "B" films in October, such as Don DeFore in SOUTHSIDE 1-1000 (1950), filmed around Los Angeles, and EAST OF THE RIVER (1940), a spin on the old MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934) story, with John Garfield and William Lundigan as adopted brothers who end up on opposite sides of the law...THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO (1944), depicting the famous Doolittle raid, is a terrific WWII film, and I found the powerful anti-Nazi film THE MAN I MARRIED (1940), starring Joan Bennett and Francis Lederer, to be one of the most interesting films seen this year. It's available thanks to this year's new Fox Cinema Archives line...FBI GIRL (1951) was another fun "B," how can you not love Cesar Romero and George Brent as "G" men? It costarred Audrey Totter, Tom Drake and Raymond Burr, and the VCI DVD also had a strong commentary track by the Film Noir Foundation's Alan Rode...I continued delving into '50s sci-fi with IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA (1955), featuring Ray Harryhausen's famous "sexapus"...CAPTAIN CAREY, U.S.A. (1950) was an atmospheric thriller starring Alan Ladd and Wanda Hendrix, directed by Mitchell Leisen and featuring the debut of the song "Mona Lisa"...I loved Brenda Marshall as the SINGAPORE WOMAN (1941), directed by Jean Negulesco...it was fun to revisit the "matchmaker" romance CROSSING DELANCEY (1988) after many years...RAGE IN HEAVEN (1941) was a highly entertaining thriller starring Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders, and a very effective Robert Montgomery as Bergman's mentally disturbed husband...FLAME OF ARABY (1951) with Jeff Chandler and Maureen O'Hara was great Technicolor fun...and I saw a very good TV-movie, MIRACLE LANDING (1990), for the first time in decades. September and October were two of my favorite movie months in a very strong year!

...November started off with another Brenda Marshall movie, SOUTH OF SUEZ (1940)...THE ADMIRAL WAS A LADY (1950) was a pleasant surprise, a very cute romantic comedy with Edmond O'Brien, Wanda Hendrix, and Rudy Vallee...ARMORED CAR ROBBERY (1950) is 67 minutes of "B" noir bliss, filmed on location in L.A., with Charles McGraw as a dogged detective on the hunt for his partner's killer...What a joy to watch I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING! (1945) again, it's truly magical filmmaking...EASY LIVING (1949) was another great discovery thanks to the Warner Archive. Victor Mature stars as a football player with health problems; there's a terrific cast including Lucille Ball, Lloyd Nolan, Lizabeth Scott, Sonny Tufts, Jeff Donnell, Richard Erdman, Paul Stewart, and Jack Paar. Great stuff...I enjoyed old favorites EASY LIVING (1937) and MIDNIGHT (1939) at UCLA's Mitchell Leisen festival...THE FALCON AND THE CO-EDS (1943), with some Val Lewton influences, was one of the best to date from an enjoyable movie series...SHADOW OF DOUBT (1935) is a mystery which should be better known, and happily it's just been released by the Warner Archive. Ricardo Cortez and Virginia Bruce star, with Regis Toomey and Constance Collier in strong support...RAILS INTO LARAMIE (1954) is a very enjoyable Western starring John Payne and Dan Duryea, with a memorable supporting turn by James Griffith as a loyal but nervous marshal who assists Payne in taming a town...SWING HIGH, SWING LOW (1937) was a very interesting Lombard-MacMurray film seen at UCLA's Mitchell Leisen festival. It played with the wonderful HOLD BACK THE DAWN (1941).

...In December I returned to UCLA to see NO MAN OF HER OWN (1950) with Barbara Stanwyck and John Lund; it was a thrill to see this on a big screen in gorgeous 35mm...I took another look at a favorite comedy, IF YOU COULD ONLY COOK (1935) and found it as charming as ever...ALASKA PASSAGE (1959) was a fun "B" about truckers which benefited from location shooting in Alaska...I hadn't seen LADY IN THE DARK (1944) since I saw it at the L.A. County Museum of Art as a teenager, so I was thrilled to have the chance to see it again at UCLA...BUREAU OF MISSING PERSONS (1933) was a pre-Code that was great fun, with a wonderful cast. As I wrote in my review, Allen Jenkins and Ruth Donnelly working in a police station make my heart happy...FROM HEADQUARTERS (1933), a police procedural with George Brent and Margaret Lindsay, wasn't quite as much fun as BUREAU OF MISSING PERSONS, but it definitely had its moments, including an autopsy scene shot from the point of view of the corpse!...This might have been the year of the "B" movie for me, and TRUCK BUSTERS (1943) was another fun one, which made Warner Archive's year-end "best of" list, labeled "For Refined Palates Only"...Movies don't come any more joyous than SUN VALLEY SERENADE (1941), an old favorite I watched on Christmas. It stars John Payne, Sonja Henie, and Glenn Miller, with a fantastic specialty number by the Nicholas Brothers...The year ended on a strong note on New Year's Eve with three films, including the excellent new musical LES MISERABLES (2012).

In closing, I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you who regularly visit this blog, whether you're a reader or one of the regular commenters I'm so fortunate to have share ideas. You are all deeply appreciated, and I wish my readers good health, happiness, and lots of classic movies in 2013!

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.