Tonight's Movie: Hanukkah on Rye (2022)

Mix a touch of CROSSING DELANCEY (1988) with a generous helping of YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998), add in a unique voice of its own and you've got HANUKKAH ON RYE (2022), which debuted in December on the Hallmark Channel.

Molly (Yael Grobglas) and Jacob (Jeremy Jordan) are each part of different families who have owned Jewish delis for generations.

Molly, who will one day take over running Gilbert's Deli in New York, is looking for ways to ensure the historic deli's long-term future in the challenging restaurant business.

Jacob, whose family owns the less conventionally traditional Zimmer's Deli in Los Angeles, is looking to expand the business to New York...right down the street from Gilbert's.

Meanwhile, Molly and Jacob's grandmothers have each submitted their names to a matchmaker (Angela Narth) who insists her clients get to know one another by old-fashioned mail, delivered by courier. Molly and Jacob grudgingly cooperate and gradually warm up to their penpals; because they correspond using pseudonyms, they don't realize that they already know one another "in person," as competing deli owners.

The script by frequent Hallmark writer Julie Sherman Wolfe pays warm tribute to the older films, especially the classic YOU'VE GOT MAIL storyline, but it also goes its own way, including incorporating Jewish traditions and emphasizing the characters' strong family ties.

The lead actors are both charming and convey a nice sense of humor. The script deftly handles the conflicts, not drawing them out too long, and the final resolution was creative and moving.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I especially liked Tim Nhlazane, who offers solid comic support as the desk clerk in Molly and Jacob's building who facilitates their exchange of letters. His facial reactions are delightful.

HANUKKAH ON RYE was directed by longtime Hallmark director Peter DeLuise (son of Dom). It was filmed by Ken Krawcyzk with Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada standing in for New York.

This film is a great example of a top-notch Hallmark film which I believe would be enjoyed not only by Hallmark fans but by a wider audience. (And for classic film fans, there's even a scene with a Charlie Chaplin film!) Recommended.

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Tonight's Movie: Marlowe (2023)

Last week I saw the new film PLANE (2023), and today it was back to the movies for me to see another new film with a one-word title, MARLOWE (2023).

As classic film fans could probably guess, Marlowe (played by Liam Neeson) refers to Raymond Chandler's private detective, Philip Marlowe. The screenplay by William Monahan and Neil Jordan is not, however, based on one of Chandler's classic novels but on a book featuring the Marlowe character written by John Banville, aka Benjamin Black.

The film is set in a 1939 fantasy version of Los Angeles, complete with a suburb known as "Bay City." Although the film is set around the film industry, it's not a Los Angeles anyone who lives here would recognize, including a lack of Los Angeles location shooting -- the movie was actually made in Spain!

Even the movie posters seen on a studio lot have familiar titles -- two I noticed were the names of George O'Brien "B" Westerns -- but the poster artwork is not for the original films. Like much else about this "Chandler lite" movie, they're phony.

Similarly, the characters of the Ambassador (Mitchell Mullen) and Dorothy Quincannon (Jessica Lange) were clearly inspired by Joseph P. Kennedy (Sr.) and Gloria Swanson, but the movie doesn't dare use their names for this flight of fancy.

As the movie begins, Quincannon's daughter Clare Cavendish (Diane Kruger) asks Chandler to find her missing lover Nico (Francois Arnaud). No one will be surprised that that proves not to be a straightforward request and Chandler is quickly wrapped up in a complex mystery involving a man who may or may not be dead. I'll leave the story itself to viewers to discover as it unfolds.

MARLOWE has not received particularly strong reviews, but despite my comments above about the lack of authenticity, I found it an enjoyable afternoon at the movies. Neeson is on screen for most of the movie's 109 minutes and he frankly makes the movie; without him it's maybe a two-star film but thanks to his star power and acting ability he pushes the needle close to a three.

Is Neeson actually playing Philip Marlowe? There's little evidence of it, as to my thinking the character simply happens to be a detective in '30s L.A. with the name Marlowe; it actually works better for me thinking of him as a unique character, as it also erases questions about whether Neeson is the appropriate age. (I'd add that his age is addressed multiple times in the script.)

Could the movie have done more with what it had, given the cast? Certainly. It could have been more Chandler-esque and also a little less phony; along with what I mentioned previously, there are multiple anachronisms. A partial list: The women's hairstyles seem wrong for the late '30s; an actress (Seana Kerslake) would never have been allowed to show a graphic eye wound in an action scene in a 1939 movie; and I don't know why a prop house would have had the Maltese Falcon on hand, given the best-known version of the movie wasn't filmed until 1941. (I suppose it could have referred to an earlier version...)

What we're left with, however, is quite enjoyable, taking the film on its own terms, beginning with the pleasure of a reunion of ROB ROY (1995) costars Neeson and Lange. Both are true stars who are fun to watch every moment they're on screen.

The supporting cast has other fine players such as Alan Cumming and -- in perhaps nod to the MALTESE FALCON reference -- Danny Huston. There's also a nice through line with Danny's father not only having directed THE MALTESE FALCON but costarred in the period L.A. mystery CHINATOWN (1974).

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is delightful as a chauffeur. Colm Meaney and Ian Hart play Chandler's friends on the police force.

All in all, despite any flaws MARLOWE is an entertaining mystery with a fun setting which held my attention throughout -- pretty much my definition of a popcorn movie. There aren't a huge number of new movies released which interest me, and I had a pleasant time.

I think a viewer who approaches the film with an open mind, willing to accept some of the things I've described above, will probably also find it enjoyable. Viewers will have to look elsewhere for a movie which is authentically "L.A."

The movie deserves its R rating for some language and for violence which gets a little edgier than I typically care for in the final stretch; that said, the violence was reined in just enough it didn't spoil the film for me.

MARLOWE was directed by Neil Jordan and filmed by Xavi Gimenez.

The trailer is here.

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Tonight's Movie: I Was a Shoplifter (1950) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I WAS A SHOPLIFTER (1950) is a delightfully enjoyable little movie which is part of the Dark Side of Cinema XI collection from Kino Lorber.

I first saw this film in 2017 at the Noir City Film Festival. I saw all 20 films shown at that year's festival and named I WAS A SHOPLIFTER as my favorite.

I WAS A SHOPLIFTER may not be a classic, but it's a highly entertaining 74 minutes with a great Universal Pictures cast, including Scott Brady, Mona Freeman, Andrea King, Tony Curtis, Charles Drake, Rock Hudson, and Peggie Castle. The latter two actors are in small but noticeable roles.

Freeman plays Faye, a wealthy but unhappy girl who lives with her nasty aunt (Nana Bryant). Her emotional woes lead her to the excitement of department store shoplifting; she's caught and in return for not being prosecuted she signs a confession which will result in a stiffer sentence if she ever shoplifts again.

Faye's woes aren't over, as she's blackmailed by a shoplifting ring run by Ina Perdue (King in a deliciously scene-stealing performance).

Jeff Andrews (Brady), a detective with the sheriff's department, has been keeping tabs on Faye and comes to her rescue when Ina's righthand man Pepe (a creepy Curtis) attempts to assault her.

Jeff and Faye fall in love -- with Jeff blithely assuring Faye her attraction toward shoplifting can be easily cured with psychological help. Before they can have a future together, though, there's an exciting chase south of the border to Tijuana and another great chase in a department store -- the use of a package chute in the latter sequence is hilarious.

The movie may not always make sense, especially in the way it minimizes Faye's issues, but every second of it is entertaining.

Brady is a stalwart hero, Freeman is lovely and sympathetic as the troubled heroine, and as mentioned, King seems to be having an absolute blast trading quips with Brady and others. The cast is marvelous top to bottom.

Anyone who enjoys minor crime movies of this nature should give this film a try, as it's fun, plain and simple.

I WAS A SHOPLIFTER was written by Irwin Gielgud based on his own story. It was directed by Charles Lamont and filmed by Irving Glassberg.

Supporting players include Larry Keating, Nestor Paiva, Ann Robinson, Gregg Martell, Robert Gist, Donna Martell, and James Best.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray print is from a new 2K master; it looks very good and has excellent sound. What a pleasure to have this movie available for home viewing in such a good print!

The lone extras on this disc are three trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber.

The other two films in this set are the previously reviewed A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE (1948) and BEHIND THE HIGH WALL (1956), which will be reviewed at a future date.

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

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Book Review: The Films of Judy Garland

Last summer I reviewed James L. Neibaur's excellent book FRANK SINATRA ON THE BIG SCREEN.

I'm happy to say that the author now has another book out on a favorite MGM musical performer, THE FILMS OF JUDY GARLAND. I've just finished reading a .pdf copy of this book provided by the publisher, McFarland.

One of the very first film books on my shelf as a teenage classic film fan was JUDY: THE FILMS AND CAREER OF JUDY GARLAND by Joe Morella and Edward Z. Epstein. It's hard to believe that that book, which I purchased in the mid '70s, was first published in 1969, meaning it's now well over half a century old.

I enjoyed that older book, but the content consisted mostly of pictures, with a minimal amount of basic information provided for each film. I thus particularly appreciated Neibaur's much more detailed new book, which includes both background facts and thoughtful critiques of each movie, placing each film in the context of Garland's career.

The format is similar to Neibaur's Sinatra book, with a brief introduction followed by a chronological discussion of all of Garland's films. Along the way he also weaves in biographical information covering her marriages, children, concert career, and physical and psychological woes.

Each film entry lists the movie's songs along with cast and behind-the-scenes credits. It's an engaging read which balances providing useful background facts with critical analysis.

I've seen the vast majority of films discussed in the book and enjoyed mentally comparing notes with Neibaur's takes. I was particularly glad to see his comments on MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), which is one of my all-time favorite films; he concisely sums up some of the film's qualities thusly: "Vincente Minnelli proved himself to be a brilliant director, with the movie's flow of movement and bright use of color enhancing the committed performances."

I also appreciated his admiration for the romantic drama THE CLOCK (1945) which I recently revisited for the first time in years; both the film and Garland's sensitive performance left me wholly impressed. (A still from THE CLOCK with Robert Walker is below.) I think we saw most of Garland's films, also including EASTER PARADE (1948) and SUMMER STOCK (1950), in pretty much the same ways.

It sometimes makes me sad that Garland didn't make more movies after she left MGM in 1950, but her personal struggles over the years are well known, and in the end I'm grateful for what she gave us, sometimes at great personal cost. Neibaur's book does a fine job capturing her career on the page.

I think an editor could have contributed more paragraphing, as some are quite long and it's also occasionally slightly confusing when a topic changes mid-paragraph; that said, since I read an advance review copy it's possible those issues were cleaned up before final publication.

That's my only criticism, and it's certainly not a significant one in terms of the book's content; it's presented simply in the interest of being thorough. Neibaur is a reliable writer who has clearly researched deeply and shares many insightful opinions. The book works as both an excellent introduction to Garland for new fans and an enjoyable review for those who have loved her work for years.

The print copy of THE FILMS OF JUDY GARLAND is 202 pages including photos, chapter notes, bibliography, and index. Please visit the publisher website (McFarlandBooks.com) for additional information.

Thanks to McFarland and James L. Neibaur for providing an e-copy of this book for review.

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Tonight's Movie: The Square Jungle (1955) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

The more I see of Tony Curtis, the more I admire him. He's the star of THE SQUARE JUNGLE (1955), part of the Kino Lorber Dark Side of Cinema X collection.

All three of the films in the set are boxing dramas; the other two movies are FLESH AND FURY (1952), also with Curtis, and WORLD IN MY CORNER (1956) with Audie Murphy.

I really enjoyed FLESH AND FURY at the 2016 Noir City Hollywood Festival and look forward to revisiting it soon, along with seeing the Murphy film.

In THE SQUARE JUNGLE Curtis plays Eddie Quaid, a San Francisco grocery clerk without much of a future.

Eddie's lonely widowed father (Jim Backus, seen last week in BRIGHT VICTORY) is on a clear path to alcoholism when he gets involved in a brawl and is locked up in jail.

Eddie, trying to raise funds to bail his father out, signs up for a boxing match. Sympathetic police officer McBride (Paul Kelly) brings Eddie's dad to the fight so he can see the lengths his son is going to to help him, the clear implication being he hopes it will make him think twice about drinking.

To everyone's surprise, Eddie does well in his match. McBride then stakes Eddie some money to start a boxing career and connects him with a trainer, Bernie (Ernest Borgnine). Bernie is not your usual boxing trainer; he did time in prison for killing two people in a drunk driving accident, and he now spends most of his time buried in books.

Bernie teaches Eddie a great deal about boxing, but Eddie has a lot more to learn about life. Perhaps with the support of those around him, including girlfriend Julie (Pat Crowley), Eddie will eventually mature into the man everyone hopes for.

The performances in THE SQUARE JUNGLE are all tops, starting with Curtis, who transitions from a goodhearted, rather innocent young man to someone deflated by worry and disappointment, then on to a too-cocky fight champ. The final act of this drama, after Eddie has possibly mortally slugged champ Al Gorski (John Day, aka John Daheim) is quite moving.

As might be expected, Borgnine is very good as a rather unique character in the fight world, and Backus always offers a strong performance. Kelly doesn't have a great deal of screen time but I'm always glad to see him, and he makes his scenes count.

I never particularly enjoy the fight scenes themselves in boxing movies, but the sequences here are directed with great atmosphere and an authentic-looking referee (John Marley).

I don't consider either THE SQUARE JUNGLE or FLESH AND FURY film noir, but I'm not too worried about the label; what matters is the access to the movies! Just as the Noir City Festival has sometimes shown restorations of boxing films such as FLESH AND FURY or IRON MAN (1951), Kino Lorber has incorporated a set of them into its Dark Side of Cinema collection, and I love it.

THE SQUARE JUNGLE runs 86 minutes. It was written by George Zuckerman, based on his story. The movie was directed by Jerry Hopper and filmed in black and white by George Robinson.

THE SQUARE JUNGLE Blu-ray is from a new 2K master. There are some minor flaws in the first reel, including at the end of the opening credits, but after that it settles down and is a solid print with excellent sound.

Extras are a commentary track by Eddy Von Mueller and a gallery of trailers for three additional films available from Kino Lorber.

I'll have reviews of the other films in this set here at a future date.

Update: Here are reviews of FLESH AND FURY (1952), also starring Tony Curtis, and WORLD IN MY CORNER (1956), starring Audie Murphy.

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

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Book Review: Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film

Turner Classic Movies and Running Press have published many wonderful film books in recent years, with more to come in 2023.

One of their most recent titles, released this past fall, is VIVA HOLLYWOOD: THE LEGACY OF LATIN AND HISPANIC ARTISTS IN AMERICAN FILM by Luis I. Reyes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully designed book, and to make things even better, I unexpectedly had the opportunity to meet the author in Lone Pine last October, where we had a wonderful chat and he kindly signed my copy of his book (seen below).

It was quickly apparent from both our conversation and the book itself that Reyes has a deep knowledge of and appreciation for classic films, and that's certainly reflected in his writing.

Hopefully this review will call attention to the book for anyone who missed hearing about it at the time of publication, or perhaps it will also serve as a reminder for anyone who's been meaning to order a copy but hasn't yet done so.

Reyes covers the history of Latins and Hispanics in the movies from the beginning of the industry, through the decades of Latin silent matinee idols, the '40s Good Neighbor Policy, the turbulent '60s, and up through contemporary films.

One of the things I especially appreciated is that Reyes combines a clear-eyed look at issues and stereotypes with a sincere love of movies and a deep appreciation for what Latin and Hispanic artists have contributed to the industry.

He begins the book by briefly sketching the history of Hispanics and Latins in the United States, as well as zeroing in on Hollywood's "complicated relationship with race and ethnicity since its very beginning," noting various common ethnic stereotypes seen in movies: the "saucy spitfire," the "long-suffering mamacita," and more.

At the same time, he positively focuses on the contributions of Latins and Hispanics throughout the history of films in roles large and small. The book is a wonderful celebration, including glorious glossy photos of some of my personal favorites such as Gilbert Roland, Rita Hayworth, Ricardo Montalban, and more.

Most chapters begin with an introduction followed by a series of biographical sketches of actors. The book rather reminded me of some of the classic James Robert Parish books on my shelves such as THE MGM STOCK COMPANY; in that regard the book can either be read cover to cover, for a thorough overview of the subject matter, or dipped into a bit at a time, as a companion to enrich one's current movie viewing.

I especially enjoyed the 1940s section which covers many favorite performers including Cesar Romero, Jose Iturbi, Lina Romay, Pedro Armendariz, and Maria Montez; it was particularly fun to read more about Montez, having seen a majority of her films and read a full-length biography of her in the past couple years.

My favorite section of the book, "Present and Accounted For: Hollywood Film Classics," changes gears to look at specific films featuring Hispanic actors in roles of varying sizes, as well as behind-the-scenes talent such as the Mexican-Americans who worked on special effects for KING KONG (1933).

Some of the actors featured in this section include Margo in LOST HORIZON (1937), Chris-Pin Martin in STAGECOACH (1939), Juano Hernandez in INTRUDER IN THE DUST (1949), Katy Jurado in HIGH NOON (1952), and Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez in RIO BRAVO (1959).

In a discussion of actor Victor Millan's work in TOUCH OF EVIL (1958), I liked that Reyes also addressed Charlton Heston's performance as a Mexican cop in the film, saying it was "strangely believable." While commenting that Heston in "brown face" might not have been ideal casting, he balances that by noting that the film's protagonist being a Mexican married to an Anglo-American woman was progressive for its day.

I really liked the way Reyes sees all sides of the picture -- literally and figuratively! -- and appreciates good acting and a movie's positives, even when these things might not match up with current sensibilities.

VIVA HOLLYWOOD is an upbeat, informative, and beautifully presented volume which is a wonderful addition to any film lover's bookshelf.

VIVA HOLLYWOOD is 278 glossy pages including end notes, bibliography, and index. It measures about 7.5 inches by 9.25 inches and weighs around 1.74 pounds. The foreword was written by Jimmy Smits.

Thanks to TCM and Running Press for providing a review copy of this book.

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Tonight's Movie: The Last of Sheila (1973)

Last year THE LAST OF SHEILA (1973) was shown at the TCM Classic Film Festival with star Richard Benjamin interviewed at the screening.

I heard from several people how much they enjoyed it and was intrigued, so I picked up the Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray. Costar Raquel Welch's passing last week prompted me to pull the movie off the shelf to watch this weekend.

THE LAST OF SHEILA is a whodunit in which wealthy Clinton (James Coburn) marks the one-year anniversary of his wife Sheila's death by inviting his friends to join him for a cruise on his yacht, the SHEILA.

On hand are frustrated screenwriter Tom (Richard Benjamin) and his wife Lee (Joan Hackett); director Philip (James Mason); talent agent Christine (Dyan Cannon); and actress Alice (Welch) and her husband Anthony (Ian McShane). Everyone in the group except Lee was present on the fateful night when Sheila was killed by a hit-and-run driver.

Clinton has designed a mystery game to be played over the course of the cruise, but the participants soon realize that Clinton is exposing uncomfortable, hidden truths about each of them in the course of the game...which soon thereafter turns deadly.

THE LAST OF SHEILA was entertaining, not least because as I watched it became increasingly apparent that last fall's GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022) was loosely inspired by THE LAST OF SHEILA.

As I watched I gradually started connecting the dots; beyond the plot similarities, with a rich eccentric gathering together a group of friends for an island-set mystery game, there's the fact that the screenplay of THE LAST OF SHEILA was written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins -- and Sondheim has a cameo in GLASS ONION.

And was Kate Hudson's GLASS ONION character ever channeling Dyan Cannon!

I'd had no idea going into THE LAST OF SHEILA that it was so closely connected to GLASS ONION. I later found that Maureen Lee Lenker of Entertainment Weekly wrote an article about GLASS ONION screenwriter/director Rian Johnson's love for the earlier movie.

It was also fun for me to see this as a few years after the movie was released, I saw Ian McShane on stage starring in a production of AS YOU LIKE IT. I wrote a little about that play when I had the chance to chat with McShane's AS YOU LIKE IT costar, Bruce Davison, in Lone Pine in 2017. Davison recalled the production and his costars, McShane and Stockard Channing, fondly and even recited some of "The Seven Ages of Man" monologue for me right there in the Alabama Hills. Both the play and my conversation with Davison are special memories.

I didn't think THE LAST OF SHEILA was great, but I did find it an entertaining and worthwhile couple of hours, and the cast was excellent. I most enjoyed Cannon's brassy, over-the-top character, but I have to give top kudos to Benjamin and Mason for their extended one-on-one interchange late in the movie. It was delicious watching the "old pro," Mason, at work wrapping up the film with some killer (pardon the pun) dialogue at movie's end.

THE LAST OF SHEILA was directed by Herbert Ross (THE GOODBYE GIRL). It was filmed by Gerry Turpin, with most of the exteriors shot in France.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray is a very attractive widescreen print. The disc includes the trailer and a commentary track featuring Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, and Raquel Welch.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Last week I shared the great news that Kino Lorber Studio Classics will soon make available a Blu-ray release of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in SAIGON (1947). There were more announcements this week of never-on-DVD rarities coming soon from Kino Lorber, Paramount's THE HOUR BEFORE THE DAWN (1944) starring Franchot Tone and Veronica Lake, and Universal's THE LOOTERS (1955) with Rory Calhoun and Julie Adams. What a thrill that these films will be available for home viewing in high quality prints.

...Also coming soon from Kino Lorber, FORCE OF EVIL (1948), "from a 4K scan of the 35mm fine grain." Three Blu-ray titles were announced for April 18th: HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME (1937), YOU AND ME (1938), and LADY IN A JAM (1942), which I don't believe I'd previously heard was on its way.

...Illeana Douglas has a new book coming this fall: CONNECTICUT IN THE MOVIES: FROM DREAM HOUSES TO DARK SUBURBIA. It will be published October 1st by Lyons Press. Actress Douglas is also the author of the 2015 memoir I BLAME DENNIS HOPPER: AND OTHER STORIES FROM A LIFE LIVED IN AND OUT OF THE MOVIES.

...Stephen Spielberg credits Tom Cruise and his film TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) with possibly having saved the theatrical industry.

...From Rachel at Hamlette's Soliloquy: "My 10 Favorite Alan Ladd Roles." She mentions some terrific movies.

...The newest CineSavant reviews by Glenn Erickson at Trailers From Hell include IF I WERE KING (1938) from Kino Lorber and CARRIE (1952) from Viavision.

...Vienna pays tribute to Harry Morgan at Vienna's Classic Hollywood.

...Deadline featured an interesting article last week, "The Streaming Purge: Behind the Wave of Library Content Removals and its Impact on the Creative Community."

...Lea Stans has reviewed Buster Keaton in OUR HOSPITALITY (1923) for Classic Movie Hub.

...HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS YOU MISSED: SEVENTY NOTEWORTHY FILMS FROM THE 1930S was praised by Laura Wagner in Classic Images, and given that she is an exacting reviewer, that is high praise indeed. It's by Edwin M. Bradley and was published by McFarland in 2020.

...A Taco Bell Cantina has opened on Hollywood Boulevard. The Cantinas are fancier than regular Taco Bells and serve alcohol. Of particular note to me is the location, in the old Pickwick Books building where my father would take me shopping when I was young. There was a bargain books attic where I found numerous treasures over the years, including my first book on James Stewart's movies, THE FILMS OF JAMES STEWART by McClure, Jones, and Twomey. It was published by A.S. Barnes in 1970.

...Tynan of Four Star Films has reviewed a good pair of Jeanne Crain movies, APARTMENT FOR PEGGY (1948) and TAKE CARE OF MY LITTLE GIRL (1951). PEGGY, especially, has been a film I've loved since my teen years, when it ran on local television. I first caught TAKE CARE OF MY LITTLE GIRL in 2009.

...An interesting new title I came across: DARKEST CHRISTMAS: DECEMBER 1942 AND A WORLD AT WAR by Peter Harmsen. It was published by Casemate last October.

...Notable Passings: Raquel Welch has passed away at 82...Stella Stevens has died at 84...Film historian Richard Anobile has passed on at 76. For many of us, his books of "screen caps" along with scripts were how we first "saw" classic films like STAGECOACH (1939), THE MALTESE FALCON (1941), and CASABLANCA (1942), "back in the day" when we couldn't watch movies where and when we wanted. I wrote a little about the STAGECOACH book in my 2014 review of the movie...Cookbook author Jean Anderson, whose books included THE DOUBLEDAY COOKBOOK and THE NEW DOUBLEDAY COOKBOOK, has died at 93. She's remembered by Fran McCullough in North Carolina's The News of Orange County...Film and TV music composer Gerald Fried has died at 95.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my February 11th roundup.

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Tonight's Movie: Bright Victory (1951) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

A really warm and wonderful film, BRIGHT VICTORY (1951), is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

I just watched it for the first time this week, and appropriately enough I am reviewing it on the February 17th birthday of the film's lead actor, Arthur Kennedy.

Kennedy was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his performance as Larry Nevins, who is blinded while serving in the army in World War II.

It's a horrible break, but Larry very gradually begins to adjust to a new way of life in a special hospital ward for blind veterans in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

One of the biggest hurdles for Larry is phoning his parents (Will Geer and Nana Bryant) in Florida to tell them of his injury; Larry is their only child, and they have a difficult time handling the news.

Larry becomes good friends with another blind soldier, Joe Morgan (James Edwards), then inadvertently torpedoes their relationship when he makes racist comments. Larry has had no idea that his good friend is black. Blindness was the great equalizer, at least temporarily. Larry is shocked but the experience starts him thinking about the attitudes he was raised with.

While learning his way around the local town Larry gets to know bank clerk Judy Greene (the incandescent Peggy Dow). They enjoy spending time together, but Larry lets Judy know early on that he's got a girl back home, Chris (Julie Adams). Larry thinks of Judy as a good friend but despite that, Judy can't help falling for Larry.

After having considerable success learning new skills at the hospital, Larry is granted a month's leave to visit home before being sent to a different facility to learn more advanced skills. Larry and Chris still love one another, but Larry realizes the factory job waiting for him with Chris's father (Minor Watson) is simply a "make work" job and that her father doesn't believe he'll be able to to have a successful career given his blindness.

Larry understands that he'll need to look elsewhere if he wants to find a fulfilling career, but Chris is reluctant to leave behind all she knows and face the challenges of life with Larry. He's truly at a crossroads in his life.

BRIGHT VICTORY was written by Robert Buckner based on the novel LIGHTS OUT by Baynard Kendrick. It was sensitively directed by Mark Robson, who made the moving Korean War "homefront" drama I WANT YOU (1951) with Peggy Dow the same year.

I had no idea what to expect and was completely wrapped up in BRIGHT VICTORY from start to finish. Kennedy is outstanding as we follow Larry's journey from his suicidal reaction to his diagnosis to his joy learning he has a special ability to know when he's about to run into a wall, and on through his ups and downs as he figures out what he's going to do with the rest of his life...and also matures past his original attitudes towards blacks.

Edwards is wonderfully appealing as Larry's friend Joe. When Larry makes the comment which sunders their friendship it's heartbreaking. I tear up every time I think of the movie's final scene featuring Kennedy and Edwards, which is very deeply moving.

I was impressed that this film managed to tackle both disability and racism in an interesting and realistic, non-preachy way -- and in just 97 minutes. Despite the tough subject matter, BRIGHT VICTORY is ultimately a positive and uplifting film.

I also can't say enough good things about Dow, whose beaming character lights up the film. Her goodness is never treacly; she's simply a lovely, upbeat person who is willing to commit to Larry and the challenges of his life, if he'll have her.

Among the large cast, Jim Backus stands out as Judy's lawyer brother-in-law who encourages Larry to think about the possibility of a legal career. His wife is played by Joan Banks, who was long married to Frank Lovejoy.

Richard Egan also has a good role as one of the other blind soldiers in Larry's ward. His eventual reunion with his wife and the little boy he's never met is another wonderfully moving moment.

The deep cast also includes Rock Hudson, Peggie Castle, Larry Keating, and Jerry Paris.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray is from a new 2K master which does an excellent job showing off the black and white cinematography of William Daniels. Disc extras consist of a six-film trailer gallery and a commentary track by Gary Gerani.

I enjoyed BRIGHT VICTORY as much as any film I've seen in recent months. It's one of those movies which leaves the viewer feeling better for having watched it.

Highly recommended.

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

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New TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements

Turner Classic Movies has just made a significant number of new announcements for the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival.

Here are some of the latest announced screenings:

*The marvelous Ann-Margret will introduce BYE BYE BIRDIE (1963) -- which I happened to see at the festival in 2017

*A 90th anniversary screening of KING KONG (1933)

*George Stevens Jr. will introduce the premiere of a restoration of PENNY SERENADE (1941), with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne directed by his father, George Stevens

*David Wyler will introduce Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole in HOW TO STEAL A MILLION (1966), directed by his father, William Wyler

*Craig Barron and Ben Burtt will give one of their wonderful special effects presentations for WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951); for those who might be wondering, it was screened at the fest in 2019, with Dennis Miller interviewing star Barbara Rush

*THAT TOUCH OF MINK (1962) starring Cary Grant and Doris Day

*I'm especially looking forward to a 35th anniversary screening of CROSSING DELANCEY (1988) with stars Amy Irving and Peter Riegert in attendance -- I've been planning to revisit that movie soon

*Leonard Maltin will introduce a new-to-me British film, MR. COHEN TAKES A WALK (1935)

*LARCENY, INC. (1942) starring Edward G. Robinson

*Shirley Temple in POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL (1936) (Update: POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL has been removed from the festival schedule.)

*MISTER ROBERTS (1955), which I know from experience is a marvelous film to see with an enthusiastic audience

*A midnight screening of Olivia Newton-John in XANADU (1980)

Combined with previously announced films, I've now got quite a list of titles I'm hoping to see at the festival, including RIO BRAVO (1959), SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943), and several more. The hope, of course, is that there won't be too many scheduling conflicts forcing hard decisions!

The complete list of announced films to date has a page on the festival website.

The TCM Classic Film Festival will take place in Hollywood from April 13th to 16th, 2023.

Previously: TCM Announces 2023 Festival Dates and Theme (October 18, 2022); 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements (November 11, 2022); Latest 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements (January 25, 2023).

There was also a brief festival update regarding Russ Tamblyn appearing at the festival in my "Around the Blogosphere This Week" news roundup on January 14, 2023.

Updates: Latest TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements (March 4, 2023); TCM Classic Film Festival Announces Opening Night Movie (March 15, 2023); The 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival Schedule (March 29, 2023).

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