Tonight's Movie: Paris After Dark (1943)

PARIS AFTER DARK (1943) is a well-done film from 20th Century-Fox about the French Resistance, released in the middle of World War II.

George Sanders plays Dr. Andre Marbel, who is secretly leading a Resistance group which posts flyers and other anti-Nazi propaganda throughout Paris. Marbel's nurse Yvonne (Brenda Marshall) is also part of the group.

Yvonne's husband Jean (Philip Dorn), himself a former Resistance fighter, suddenly reappears, released after three years in a German prison camp. Jean is a broken man, physically and emotionally, who believes there is no choice but to cooperate with the Nazis and accept their inevitable victory.

Yvonne realizes she cannot tell her husband about her Resistance work, even though he misinterprets her attendance at a late-night meeting as her having a tryst with Dr. Marbel.

A crisis unfolds when it's learned that hundreds of workers from a nearby factory, including Yvonne's brother Georges (Raymond Roe), are about to be sent to work in Germany. Georges tries to escape to England, where he plans to work for France's freedom, but nothing goes as planned, and both Yvonne and Jean make critical decisions about fighting for France.

The film ends with a rousing call to victory over the radio, in the manner of FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940) or MANILA CALLING (1942). It's interesting to consider what seeing this patriotic film was like for audiences at the time of release in the fall of 1943, when France was still occupied and D-Day months away; it surely must have helped boost U.S. support for the coming invasion of France.

There are a couple creaky bits of dialogue here and there but for the most part it's a well-done film, written by Harold Buchman from a story by Georges Kessel. It was filmed entirely on the Fox lot, but the presence of actual French refugees in the cast, including Madeleine Lebeau and her former husband Marcel Dalio (who were both also in CASABLANCA) lends some authenticity.

Of course, the accents of the cast are all over the place, a mixture of French, Dutch (Dorn), British, and American, but that was par for the course at the time the film was made. The story is strong enough that the viewer is willing to suspend disbelief despite the fact that many of the actors are clearly not French.

I particularly like Sanders and Marshall, so that's an added reason the film worked well for me. I enjoyed watching Sanders in a heroic role as the doctor the Nazis don't suspect is sabotaging them right under their nose.

Marshall will never be classed as a great actress, but she's a beautiful woman and there's something about her I've always enjoyed watching. She does a nice job in this as a woman torn between patriotism and her marriage.

The movie runs 85 minutes. It was directed by Leonide Moguy and filmed in black and white by Lucien Andriot.

I watched PARIS AFTER DARK on a Fox Cinema Archives DVD. While the print quality of some films in this line, especially widescreen and/or Technicolor movies, has been erratic, I've had excellent experiences with black and white films of the late '30s or early '40s; this black and white movie looked great and had a strong soundtrack.

As usual, there are no extras on the Fox Cinema Archives disc.

I especially appreciate that Fox Cinema Archives has made lesser-known World War II films available for home viewing, including the previously mentioned MANILA CALLING, as well as THEY CAME TO BLOW UP AMERICA (1943) and THE MAN I MARRIED (1940); the latter title, released 16 months before Pearl Harbor, remains one of the most interesting little-known films of the war era I've seen to date.

Related review: ACTION IN ARABIA (1944), which also stars George Sanders and was directed by Leonide Moguy.

Tonight's Movie: Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (2019) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND OF MY VOICE (2019) is another in a string of interesting documentaries released by Kino Lorber.

Although my musical tastes lean most strongly toward the classic performers of the Great American Songbook (Sinatra, Fitzgerald, et al.), musicals, and '80s country, there were a handful of popular singers of the '60s and '70s I loved -- and still do -- including Karen Carpenter, John Denver, and Linda Ronstadt.

I think my earliest memory of Ronstadt is hearing "Blue Bayou" on the radio in high school. I love all the variations of Ronstadt's music in the years since, from her original melding of rock and country, to mariachi songs, THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, and her own renditions of music from the Great American Songbook. In the mid '80s my husband and I saw her in concert with Nelson Riddle at the Universal Amphitheatre.

THE SOUND OF MY VOICE is not just a great look at Ronstadt's career and music, it's a real nostalgia trip for a child of Southern California in the '70s, with film and stills of L.A. streets and clubs, as well as things like a glimpse of a page in the L.A. Times; an interview with former Times music critic Robert Hilburn; and footage of Linda on the Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett TV shows. It served as a multimedia visit back to that era, which I really enjoyed.

The overall focus of the documentary is on Linda's family background, the evolution of her career, and her performance of various styles of music. For the most part it steers clear of her politics and personal life, keeping the focus firmly on the music, a decision which I happily endorse; perhaps the documentary doesn't dig as deeply into Ronstadt's life as it could, but the format keeps the focus on her music and in so doing also avoids potentially divisive topics.

That said, the film does briefly address the illness which sadly has stilled her singing voice.

There are extensive music clips, many from old TV shows; there could have been even more songs I love included, but then it might have run twice the 95-minute running time!

The well-edited array of "talking heads" includes Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, and many others who worked with Ronstadt over the years.

The documentary was directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.

Those who enjoy Linda Ronstadt's singing as much as I do are sure to enjoy this musical visit down memory lane.

Extras on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray are additional interviews, the trailer, and a gallery of trailers for other Kino Lorber releases.

This documentary has also been released on DVD.

Previous reviews of documentaries released by Kino Lorber: OBIT: LIFE ON DEADLINE (2016), HAROLD AND LILLIAN: A HOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY (2015), DAWSON CITY: FROZEN TIME (2016), THE GODDESSES OF FOOD (2016), BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY (2017), and CHEF FLYNN (2018).

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

Tonight's Movie: The Good Fairy (1935) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

THE GOOD FAIRY (1935), a truly magical romantic comedy directed by the great William Wyler, was released on Blu-ray this past week by Kino Lorber.

I first saw this film just about a decade ago, and I remembered very little about it, other than that I liked it. The thing that particularly stayed in my memory was Margaret Sullavan waving a light-up arrow as a movie theater usherette. Both the arrow and the film were just as charming as remembered.

The screenplay was written by another great, Preston Sturges, based on a play by Ferenc Molnar. It concerns a very innocent, somewhat daffy young girl named Luisa (Sullavan) who has just left the Budapest orphanage in which she was raised in order to take a job as an usherette at a theater owned by Mr. Schlapkohl (Alan Hale Sr.).

There are lots of young men (including Cesar Romero!) waiting at the stage door to date the pretty young usherettes, but Luisa is taken under the wing of a protective waiter (Reginald Owen) determined to preserve her innocence. The waiter sneaks Luisa into a fancy ball, where she meets wealthy Konrad (Frank Morgan), who has designs on her virtue.

Luisa promised the orphanage director (Beulah Bondi) that she'd do a good deed every day, and an opportunity opens up for Luisa to help a poor but honest lawyer, Dr. Sporum (Herbert Marshall). It's all very complicated, having to do with Konrad wanting to pay off Luisa's mythical "husband" so she'll be his mistress, or something like that, so Luisa selects Sporum's name out of the phone book to be showered with Konrad's largesse.

From there, matters only get crazier, but it's all quite delightful and fun. A storyline such as that could easily veer into the crass or tasteless, but it's all handled with a lighter-than-air, gossamer touch; in fact, the supposedly lecherous Konrad eventually reveals himself as an insecure man who really just wants to get married and have children.

This type of role was perfect for Sullavan, whose silliness always charms rather than exasperates. The scene where Sporum gifts her with a "genuine Foxine" fake fur and she cries because it's the first gift anyone has given her is both funny and touching.

By the final scene Luisa has three men (Marshall, Morgan, and Owen) wrapped around her little finger, all wanting to help her; I got to thinking Sullavan and her character in that regard reminded me of a Deanna Durbin character, such as in FOR THE LOVE OF MARY (1948) -- and then had to laugh as I suddenly remembered that Durbin actually remade THE GOOD FAIRY, playing Sullavan's role! In fact, that's one of only three Durbin films I've not seen; I love Durbin so much that I've been reluctant to completely finish off her "new-to-me" movies.  There's something tantalizing about knowing I still have a couple of her films yet unseen, but I guess that's a bit silly at this point, so I should catch I'LL BE YOURS soon.

Back to THE GOOD FAIRY, there are so many marvelous bits, from the previously mentioned light-up arrow to the very funny movie playing in the theater to Sporum honking his car horn and rhapsodizing about office equipment. There's also a great little chase scene near movie's end. The good lines come very quickly, so this is a film which demands one's full attention so as not to miss anything.

Marshall is particularly wonderful as the dour, rude professor, who gradually evolves into a completely different, caring personality thanks to Luisa entering his life. When he finally shaves off his horrible beard and reveals "movie star" good looks underneath, it's such a shock that Luisa doesn't initially recognize him.

It's fun to note that half a decade later Sullavan and Morgan would costar in another romantic comedy set in Budapest, THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940).

THE GOOD FAIRY was filmed by Norbert Brodine. The film's running time is 98 minutes.

The great cast also includes Eric Blore and Luis Alberni. One of the orphanage girls listed at IMDb is said to be Ann Miller; I'll have to look for her next time I watch.

Extras on the Blu-ray are the trailer, a trailer gallery for six additional films available from Kino Lorber, and a commentary track by Simon Abrams.

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

Tonight's Movie: It Always Rains on Sunday (1947) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Crime meets domestic melodrama in the British film IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY (1947), recently released on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber.

In this film set in postwar London, Googie Withers plays Rose Sandigate, who lives in the East End's Bethnal Green. Rose is married to an older man, George (Edward Chapman), and has combative relationships with her young adult stepdaughters Vi (Susan Shaw) and Doris (Patricia Plunkett); there's also a younger son, Alfie (David Lines).

It's a fairly difficult life of deprivation and hard work, with family members finding small pleasures at the local pub, cinema, or arcade. Then one Sunday Rose discovers a prison escapee named Tommy Swann (John McCallum) in the family's bomb shelter. Tommy and Rose had been in love before his imprisonment and her marriage, and she agrees to help by drying his soaked clothes, as well as giving him food and a place to sleep for a few hours while the family are out of the house.

Detective Fothergill (Jack Warner) is on Tommy's track, to no avail. Then just when it's nightfall and Tommy is about to leave, a newspaper reporter shows up at the front door...

This story serves as the film's center, but the film is also a portrait of the family and their greater community, with daughter Vi having an affair with a married music shop owner (Sydney Tafler) and Doris bickering with her boyfriend (Nigel Stock) over a job offer she receives from a disreputable fellow.

Meanwhile a trio of criminals in the area (Jimmy Hanley, John Carol, and Alfie Bass) are trying to unload a hot shipment of...roller skates?!

I had mixed feelings about this film. I enjoy British films and liked the authentic locations and various "slice of life" bits: The movie star photos on the girls' bedroom wall, the family having to bathe in a tub next to the kitchen fireplace, the ration book to buy cheese, the backyard bomb shelter turned into a storage shed, and the music store with its record listening room.

There's also some very nice humor; my favorite character in the entire movie was Sadie (Betty Ann Davies), the music store owner's wife, who advises young Vi about her unfaithful husband's quirks prior to announcing that she's leaving him. The not-very-dangerous robbers trying to fence roller skates were amusing as well.

On the other hand, it's a fairly dark film; almost everyone in the film is either A) depressed, B) up to no good, or C) both! The sad state of almost every character wears on the viewer after a while.

Withers is quite good as a woman living a dead-end existence who has memories of the past reawakened when Tommy appears -- but she's also so nasty it's a little hard to take. Her "wicked stepmother" personality probably results from her unhappiness, not to mention tension over having Tommy hiding in the house, but her endless rudeness to her stepdaughters becomes quite grating.

Just when you think, though, that it's becoming too much of a one-note performance, Withers has a great scene where Rose gives Tommy the ring he'd once given her, to hock for getaway funds; her nonverbal reaction, as she suddenly realizes he doesn't even recognize it, is understated and moving.

A choice Rose makes near movie's end, however subtly depicted, would never have been allowed in 1940s Hollywood; in fact, my understanding is that KISS OF DEATH (1947) had to edit out references to a similar situation that very same year. It's thus interesting contrasting some of the subject matter included in this British film.

It's nice  to note that Withers and McCallum married the year after costarring in this film, a union which lasted 62 years.

IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY was directed by Robert Hamer and filmed in black and white by Douglas Slocombe. A trio of screenwriters worked on the film, based on a novel by Arthur La Bern. It runs 92 minutes.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray includes a commentary by Imogen Sara Smith and two featurettes, including one on the film's locations. The disc also contains the trailer, along with trailers for three additional films available from Kino Lorber.

Given the stronger-than-usual British accents and slang in this film, it's worth also noting that the disc includes subtitles. The Blu-ray print, as is usual for Kino Lorber, looks good.

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

Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...This week Turner Classic Movies announced that Leonard Maltin will be the recipient of the third annual Robert Osborne Award at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival. Maltin follows in the footsteps of prior honorees Martin Scorsese and Kevin Brownlow. The award honors "an individual who has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic film alive for future generations." TCM couldn't have chosen a more appropriate recipient than Mr. Maltin, whose books have been part of my life for decades.

...Mr. Maltin will be honored at a nitrate 35mm screening of William Wyler's COUNSELLOR AT LAW (1933) at the festival. I was very fortunate to see that nitrate print at UCLA in 2018. It's a terrific movie and I would certainly enjoy the chance to see it again.

...TCM and Fathom Events are hosting a nationwide digital screening of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951) on January 19th and 22nd. Here's a new interview with Leslie Caron, given in conjunction with the screenings. It's hard to believe it's been close to ten years since I was fortunate to meet her at a screening of the film at the Egyptian Theatre.

...Very interesting news this week: Warner Bros. and Universal announced a joint venture with the goal of keeping the DVD and Blu-ray market viable. With the sales of home discs declining, the two companies will pool resources to handle North American distribution of "new releases, library titles and television shows." Per the Los Angeles Times, "The idea is to combine resources to continue selling discs — while saving money." This is good news for those of us who believe in the importance of owning physical media we control ourselves, rather than relying on the whims of the companies and programmers who run streaming services. The big questions now: 1) Will the "library titles" include the pre-1949 Paramount titles which have been unavailable to consumers for many years, not to mention not-on-DVD Universal films? 2) What, if anything, will this mean for the Warner Archive?

...Kristina of Speakeasy and Ruth of Silver Screenings have announced the 2020 edition of their great O Canada Blogathon. It will take place from March 6th through the 8th.

...Arrow Academy is releasing a movie I really love, BLACK ANGEL (1946) on January 28th. Glenn Erickson (aka Cinesavant) has an early look posted at Trailers From Hell. The disc includes a commentary track by Alan K. Rode of the Film Noir Foundation. (Update: My screener just arrived, so look for a review here in the near future.)

...Kino Lorber also has some interesting releases coming: BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE (1938), THE SONG OF SONGS (1933), and THE FLAME OF NEW ORLEANS are all due out on March 31st. BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE is an Ernst Lubitsch film starring Claudette Colbert and Gary Cooper, while the latter two films star Marlene Dietrich.

...And speaking of Dietrich -- who has turned up in my viewing with increasing frequency in recent months -- the Criterion Collection will be releasing DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939) on Blu-ray April 14th. I don't think I've seen this film, costarring James Stewart, since I was a teenager and look forward to checking it out again.

...Here's Leonard Maltin on additional recent Blu-ray and DVD releases. I'm happy to note that I have several of the titles he recommends.

...There is currently a fundraiser to provide gravestones for the unmarked graves of eight Hollywood pioneers at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Samantha (aka Classic Film Geek) has information on the careers of those involved in this Twitter thread. My husband and I have made numerous visits to Hollywood Forever and were happy to make a contribution toward honoring these individuals and helping to preserve their -- and Hollywood's -- history. (January 23rd Update: The fundraising goal has been met!)

...I'm missing a great series of IB Tech prints at the Egyptian this weekend, but I'm hoping to see a 35mm screening of NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940) there a week from Sunday afternoon. I've never seen that one on a big screen. The showing celebrates the film's 80th anniversary. Margaret Lockwood, Rex Harrison, and Paul Henreid star in this film directed by Carol Reed, with appearances by the Charters (Basil Radford) and Caldicott (Naunton Wayne) characters from Hithcock's THE LADY VANISHES (1938).

...Attention fans of THE MANDALORIAN: iPhone stickers are newly available. "This is the way!"

...For readers who may be interested and unaware of the book's publication last fall, check out MGM STYLE: CEDRIC GIBBONS AND THE ART OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD by Howard Gutner. I've just taken a peek inside so far, but it looks like the book is as gorgeous as one would hope. For more on the book, here's an article which ran in THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER in October.

...Here's Marc Myers on Hoagy Carmichael music at JazzWax. This made me realize I don't have any of Carmichael's recordings in my collection, which I plan to rectify very soon.

...Notable Passings: Cathy Crawford LaLonde, daughter of Joan Crawford, has passed on at the age of 72. Cathy disputed her sister Christina's negative book about their mother, saying, among other things, that Joan was "very loving."

...For additional links of interest to classic film (and TV!) fans, please check out the January 11th roundup.

Have a great week!

Tonight's Movie: The Gun Runners (1958) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

THE GUN RUNNERS (1958), the third film version of Ernest Hemingway's novel TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, was recently released on Blu-ray and DVD by Kino Lorber.

THE GUN RUNNERS followed TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) and THE BREAKING POINT (1950) in bringing the Hemingway story to the screen. This version was scripted by Daniel Mainwaring (OUT OF THE PAST) and Paul Monash.

The film was directed by Don Siegel, whose name has been showing up in my viewing with regularity over the past year, including directing the previously reviewed Kino Lorber releases of MADIGAN (1968) and CHARLEY VARRICK (1973).

Audie Murphy plays Sam Martin, who operates a charter fishing boat out of Key West. Sam is happily married to Lucy (Patricia Owens, THE LAW AND JAKE WADE), but struggling financially.

After a client stiffs him for a fee, Sam is hard up for cash. Against his better judgement Sam agrees to take Hanagan (Eddie Albert) and his girlfriend Eva (Gita Hall) to battle-torn Cuba, ostensibly for a night on the town; however, Hanagan is not who he seems -- the suitcase he carries for an evening in nightclubs may be a tipoff -- and kills two men on his way off the island.

Matters go from bad to worse when Hanagan buys the note for Sam's boat, forcing Sam to pilot Hanagan and his gun-running pals back to Cuba in order to retain his boat and his livelihood. Matters get really ugly when Carlos (Carlos Romero), a Cuban revolutionary who is buying the guns, discovers some of the cases on Sam's boat are filled with rocks...

I enjoyed THE GUN RUNNERS quite well. I'm an Audie Murphy fan, and I found this film an exciting and well-paced 83 minutes. It's not Hawks and Bogart's TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, but what is? (I've not yet seen THE BREAKING POINT.) The film stands on its own as a well-done adventure story.

In fact, I find it curious that multiple reviews refer to Murphy as "bland" or lacking "genuine toughness." I just don't read him that way.

Murphy may be quiet -- and he's surely a different style of actor than his predecessors in this story, Humphrey Bogart or John Garfield -- but as I've watched him, mostly in Westerns, I've always seen a fascinating dangerous streak underneath the mild-mannered exterior. Perhaps that perception is informed by knowledge of Murphy's real-life war record, but in his films he proves time and again that he's really not someone who should be messed with.

Honestly, I rather prefer Murphy's understated manner to Garfield's often showy, more emotional style. A brief glance or look from Murphy may contain volumes. He's consistently underrated.

I've also seen references to Murphy and Owens having no chemistry, but again, it appears I was watching a different movie than others who have reviewed the film. I particularly enjoyed the steamy depiction of Sam and Lucy's marriage, with scenes and lines which are surprisingly direct for the late '50s. I also appreciated that there were plenty of these domestic love scenes, which provided a nice counterbalance for the action sequences.

My one real quibble with the film was that I found the ending too ambiguous, although I'm choosing to interpret it in the most positive manner!

The good supporting cast includes Everett Sloane, Richard Jaeckel, Herb Vigran, John Qualen, Paul Birch, Jack Elam, and Peggy Maley.

Although set in Florida and Cuba, the movie was shot off California's Newport Beach and Balboa Island.

The black and white photography by Hal Mohr isn't anything particularly flashy, but it gets the job done, and the Kino Lorber Blu-ray presents a nice, crisp widescreen print. The soundtrack is fine as well.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray includes the film's trailer and three additional trailers for movies directed by Don Siegel.

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

Quick Preview of TCM in April

This week Turner Classic Movies posted a preview of its April schedule.

The April Star of the Month is Jane Russell.

17 Russell films will be shown spread across Monday evenings in April.

I'm especially delighted with the choice of Russell; if my records are accurate, this will be Russell's first time to be honored as Star of the Month. The lineup includes the TCM premiere of FOXFIRE (1955), also starring Jeff Chandler.

The April Noir Alley titles will be ADDRESS UNKNOWN (1944), BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT (1956), WITNESS TO MURDER (1954), and WICKED WOMAN (1953). (Update: WITNESS TO MURDER has been pulled from the schedule in favor of the Special Home Edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival.)

It's also of note that TCM is showing one of my all-time favorite film noir titles, CRY OF THE CITY (1948), starring Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Debra Paget, and Shelley Winters; Conte and Paget are seen here. The film is a TCM premiere.

April themes include maids, inventors, orphans, Scotland, radio, desert islands, angels, amnesia, and films with titles starting with the words YOU CAN'T. There are plenty of sci-fi films, pre-Codes, and MGM musicals on the April schedule, including the usual appearance of EASTER PARADE (1948) on Easter Sunday.

Several Japanese LONE WOLF AND CUB films will air on Sundays on TCM Imports. These films were one of several strong influences on the hit TV series THE MANDALORIAN (2019) on the Disney+ streaming service.

Filmmakers receiving multifilm tributes in April include Peter Bogdanovich, Akira Kurosawa, Joan Fontaine, William Holden, John Wayne, Eve Arden, Gregory La Cava, and Clifton Webb.

The Webb prime time tribute will include the TCM premiere of THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS (1956), costarring Gloria Grahame; I haven't seen that one yet but have heard great things about it from several people.

Patricia Neal is currently the January Star of the Month, with 31 Days of Oscar following in February. The March Star of the Month will be Joe E. Brown.

I'll have a more detailed look on the April schedule posted here around the end of March.

The TCM Classic Film Festival will also be taking place in Hollywood next April, from the 16th through 20th. Stay tuned for complete coverage! (March 12th Update: The festival, like so many other events, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 epidemic.)

Update: For more on TCM in April 2020, including information on the special "Home Edition" of the TCM Classic Film Festival, please visit TCM in April: Highlights and TCM Star of the Month: Jane Russell.

Tonight's Movie: The Marksman (1953)

Wayne Morris stars as THE MARKSMAN (1953), a pleasing Allied Artists "B" Western.

THE MARKSMAN is part of a Wayne Morris Double Feature DVD set from the Warner Archive. I reviewed the other film in the set, THE FIGHTING LAWMAN (1953), all the way back in 2013, yet somehow I didn't manage to catch the other film in the set before now, despite my enjoyment of Morris in '50s Westerns. (So many movies, so little time...)

Morris plays Mike Martin, whose shooting skills with a telescopic sight net him a job as Deputy Marshal under Bob Scott (I. Stanford Jolley).

Mike has always wanted to be a lawman, yet he chafes at having to use his shooting skills time and again to kill bad guys. Then Lt. Governor Watson (Tom Powers) arrives and assigns Mike and Marshal Scott to track down a cattle rustling gang.

Marshal Scott sets off on the trail of the gang and disappears, so Watson assigns Mike to take on the investigation while pretending to be a prospector.

"Prospector" Mike rides onto the ranch of Champ Wylie (Frank Ferguson), who extends Mike his hospitality. Mike also meets pretty, animated Jane Watson (Elena Verdugo), a novelist who is Wylie's niece. Unfortunately, Wylie is not all he seems to be...

This is a solid, well-made 62 minutes, with much of it shot outdoors; I couldn't pin down the locations but the film was obviously shot in Southern California, perhaps at Corriganville or maybe a little at Iverson Ranch.

I enjoyed Morris's interplay with Jolley and especially Powers, and the development of Mike and Jane's relationship is cute. I especially enjoyed Mike's amazement learning there were entire stores dedicated to books -- though if he was really a college man, as he claims at one point, one assumes that wouldn't have really been shocking news. Morris is genial and entirely appealing in the lead role.

Verdugo is a different kind of leading lady, very talkative, with a light comedic touch; there's almost a touch of Jean Arthur to her giddy writer fascinated by the wide open spaces and the handsome cowboy. I enjoyed her and her spunk, including saving Mike's life at one point.

Ferguson is always a welcome presence in Westerns. The cast also includes Rick Vallin as Wylie's righthand man.

The movie was directed by Lewis D. Collins and filmed in black and white by Ernest Miller. The script was by Dan Ullman, who wrote a several other Westerns reviewed here in the past.

I had a good time watching this one and think my fellow fans of the "B's" will probably like it too.

Tonight's Movie: Rimfire (1949)

James Millican stars in RIMFIRE (1949), a "B" Western from Robert L. Lippert Productions.

It's a great pleasure to see Millican, a longtime favorite of this blog, in a lead role, though this is admittedly something of an oddball Western.

Millican plays Captain Tom Harvey, who arrives in a dusty New Mexico town looking for stolen shipments of gold. Harvey, undercover as an itinerant cowpoke, confides his real mission to the sheriff (Victor Kilian) and takes a job as deputy.

Meanwhile the Abilene Kid (Reed Hadley), a suave gambler, is framed for cheating in a card game and convicted in a kangaroo court presided over by Judge Gardner (George Cleveland). In a rather shocking development, the Abilene Kid is immediately hung.

Shortly thereafter, various townspeople are murdered one by one, with a playing card left with each body.

Some nice atmospheric tension builds as the strange series of murders continues, though ultimately the plot sputters out a bit with an unremarkable ending, considering what's gone before.

Millican and Hadley are both enjoyable to watch, the only drawback being Hadley's unexpectedly early disappearance from the film.

There are also a pair of lovely ladies who liven up their scenes, with "B" stalwart Mary Beth Hughes as the sheriff's niece who attracts the Captain's attention, and Margia Dean as the saloon gal who's interested in the Abilene Kid.

Familiar faces among the townspeople include Fuzzy Knight, I. Stanford Jolley, Jason Robards (Sr.), Glenn Strange, and Chris-Pin Martin.

"B" movie specialist B. Reeves Eason directed; this was his last feature film. Eason passed on in 1956.

The story and screenplay of this 63-minute film was a collaboration between Frank Wisbar, Arthur St. Claire, and Ron Ormond. Ernest Miller shot the film in black and white.

This movie is available in a "Western Film Noir Vol. 1" double feature DVD set from VCI Entertainment. It's paired with LITTLE BIG HORN (1951) starring Lloyd Bridges, Marie Windsor, John Ireland, Reed Hadley, Jim Davis, and Hugh O'Brian. With that cast, LITTLE BIG HORN sounds like it's worth checking out!

The RIMFIRE DVD picture is adequate, a little soft but no major defects such as skips or large scratches. The soundtrack is weak in some spots, causing me to wish the disc had captions at a couple points; for the most part, however, it's fine.

The late Ron Scheer wrote about RIMFIRE at his blog Buddies in the Saddle. Ron died in 2015, and I sure miss his posts.

There's a little more on this film by Dan Stumpf at the always-enjoyable Mystery File.

While RIMFIRE isn't a notably good Western, it does have some interesting angles and a nice cast, so Western fans may find it's worth the hour or so to give it a look.

92nd Annual Academy Award Nominations

The 92nd annual Academy Award nominations were announced this morning.

The complete list was published by The Hollywood Reporter.

I've seen two of the Best Picture nominations, LITTLE WOMEN (2019) and FORD V FERRARI (2019).

Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh received Best Actress and Supporting Actress nominations, respectively, for LITTLE WOMEN, both of which I thought were well deserved. I was somewhat surprised Christian Bale did not receive a nomination for FORD V FERRARI.

Greta Gerwig received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for LITTLE WOMEN, which is somewhat ironic given the issues I had with the film's lack of character and relationship development, but she did try something bold and different with the non-linear structure so it's understandable. Curiously, given the film's other nominations, she did not receive a nomination for Best Director.

The category which is usually of greatest interest to me, Animated Feature, deservedly gave TOY STORY 4 (2019) a nomination yet rather inexplicably omitted FROZEN II (2019).

But then so much about the Oscars tends to be hard to understand, which is why once again this will likely be the end of this year's Oscar commentary from me. From this point I'll mostly ignore the whole thing, as I have for years. On Oscar night I'll be celebrating my love for movies by...watching a movie!

The Oscars award ceremony will be take place on February 9th, 2020.

Previous Oscar nomination posts: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. There was no Oscar post in 2009.

Tonight's Movie: The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

MGM's Oscar-winning THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952) was recently released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive.

I first saw this movie, directed by Vincente Minnelli, a decade ago, and I'd forgotten just how much fun it is. It's a look at a Hollywood which is both glamorous and cruel, partly inspired by real-life people and incidents. MGM's smooth-as-silk production values and stellar cast make it an entertaining delight from start to finish.

The film begins as studio executive Harry Kebbel (Walter Pidgeon) tries to convince three people to make a movie; the people in question are director Fred Amiel (Barry Sullivan), screenwriter James Lee Bartlow (Dick Powell), and star actress Georgia Lorrison (Lana Turner).

The problem is that the trio would have to work with producer Jonathan Shields (Kirk Douglas), a jerk who has committed serious wrongs against each of them. In flashback sequences we see how each of the three rose to career success working with Jonathan -- and we also see what led to their determination never to work with him again.

Yet despite the fact that Jonathan's actions led to professional fractures, a broken heart, and, in a roundabout way, even death, the classic final shot is of director, screenwriter, and star picking up a phone in order to listen intently to his pitch.

Viewers familiar with Hollywood will recognize sequences inspired by Val Lewton (CAT PEOPLE) and the death of Carole Lombard, while Jonathan's history is thought to have been inspired by the life of David O. Selznick.

The underrated Turner is terrific in a role clearly based on Diana Barrymore; Georgia is the daughter of a deceased actor who drowns her sorrows in booze, just as her father did before her. Despite her bad habit Jonathan sees star quality in Georgia and elevates her from the ranks of extras to top-billed star. Turner nails every stage of Georgia's character progression, culminating in the famous driving scene after she realizes Jonathan had been pretending to love her for the sake of her performance in his movie.

I dislike most of Douglas's work, perceiving a real-life arrogance which seeps onto the screen, but if ever there were a role meant to utilize that, this was it. He's completely believable as a back-stabber who does what's right for Jonathan and whatever film he's currently working on, and if someone else gets hurt in the process, oh well.

Powell is marvelous, simultaneously warm and sardonic as the professor-turned-screenwriter whose Southern belle wife (Gloria Grahame) is thrilled with their sojourn in Hollywood. One wonders at times what an educated man like James Lee sees in his overly excitable, chirpy wife; then when she turns on the charm and comes on to him one can see why, in his words, he gets "a kick" out of her.

(One of the film's oddest notes is when Kebbel suggests to James Lee that his life has turned out all right despite Jonathan's machinations; after all, James Lee has a Pulitzer prize, so what does the loss he suffers matter?)

I love Sullivan, and what we see of him is great, as the steady, reliable director and dedicated family man with a lovely wife (Vanessa Brown); my only regret, given my enjoyment of the actor and his character, is that he disappears for much of the picture.

The cast also includes Gilbert Roland as Gaucho, a popular Latin lover type actor, and Elaine Stewart as Gaucho's gorgeous bit player girlfriend; they're in the still below. The scene where Stewart tells Turner "You were swell" might be my favorite in the entire movie. Talk about a scene-stealing moment, I could watch that line delivery on a loop.

The excellent cast also includes Paul Stewart, Sandy Descher, Leo G. Carroll, Ivan Triesault, Barbara Billingsley, Kurt Kasznar, Madge Blake, Steve Forrest, Kathleen Freeman, Marietta Canty, and Bess Flowers. Some of these roles are quite small, yet each one is perfectly executed, contributing to the overall excellence of this 118-minute film.

Oscars went to Robert Surtees for Best Cinematography, Helen Rose for Costume Design, Charles Schnee for Screenplay, Cedric Gibbons and his team for Art Direction, and Grahame for Best Supporting Actress. Douglas was the only one of the film's nominees not to win.

Curiously, David Raksin's stellar score, which remains highly regarded today, wasn't even nominated! It also strikes me as odd that Turner wasn't nominated, as she's excellent start to finish; meanwhile Grahame was perfectly fine in her small role, but did it actually deserve an Oscar? (Especially up against Jean Hagen for SINGIN' IN THE RAIN?!) It just goes to show that Oscar injustices aren't a recent thing.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray extras are comprised of the trailer, music scoring session cues, and the 86-minute documentary LANA TURNER - A DAUGHTER'S MEMOIR (2001).

The Blu-ray picture and sound are superb. This is an outstanding release of a memorable film, and I recommend it.

March 2020 Update: The Warner Archive has now also released this film on DVD.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Amazon or from any online retailers where DVDs and Blu-rays are sold.

Tonight's Movie: Naked Alibi (1954) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

I first saw NAKED ALIBI (1954) nearly eight years ago at the Noir City Film Festival in Hollywood.

I very much enjoyed seeing it at the festival, but unfortunately the movie hasn't been available for home viewing in the years since. It's been a long wait, but I'm happy to say that NAKED ALIBI is now finally available on Blu-ray and DVD thanks to Kino Lorber.

I was glad to have the chance to watch Kino's attractive new Blu-ray release, as I had a good time revisiting this quite entertaining film.

Gene Barry plays Al Willis, bakery owner, married to Helen (Marcia Henderson), father of a young child...and possible murderer. After Al is picked up for disorderly conduct he gets into a fight with the cops, including Lt. Parks (Casey Adams), and says he'll get revenge. The very next night, Parks is killed. Soon thereafter, two more policemen are murdered.

Police Chief Joe Conroy (Sterling Hayden) is certain Al is the killer, but a sensational photo of Joe supposedly "roughing up" Al combined with political pressure forces Joe out of office, while Al remains free.

Joe remains convinced that Al is guilty and hires a private detective (Don Haggerty) to shadow Al, who becomes so unnerved at being tailed that he tells his wife he needs to go somewhere to calm his nerves and immediately leaves town.

To this point the viewer isn't completely sure whether Joe is an overzealous cop or Al is the killer, but when Joe tails Al to Border City, it soon becomes clear which is which. Among other things, the married Al knows nightclub singer Marianna (Gloria Grahame) very, very well...and he doesn't treat her especially nicely, either. It seems Al has a completely different side which might shock his loving wife. (One wonders if he always held on to his temper around Helen...)

All Joe needs is the evidence to crack the case against Al and prove it in court, and Marianna may help him get the answers he's looking for.

Hayden is perfect in this as the aggressive cop with no quit in him, reminiscent of the part he played in the classic CRIME WAVE (1954), released the same year. Hayden's Joe may be a little nicer than his CRIME WAVE detective, but not when it comes to doggedly going after a bad guy.

Barry often played upstanding men, in films such as THE ATOMIC CITY (1952) or THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953), but he's quite convincing here as an out-and-out sleaze. The duality of Al's character -- loving husband to Helen, abusive lover of Marianna -- is never really explained, but much of the time there's no rhyme or reason to evil, so it's not too much of an issue, other than making the viewer curious. Al's cruelty to Marianna is chilling.

Grahame is terrific in an appealing performance as the singer who comes to realize her boyfriend Al, who disappears from town for long periods of time, isn't all he seems. (He sure gets testy when she suggests marriage!)
I especially enjoy Grahame's performance of "Ace in the Hole," even knowing she's dubbed (by Jo Ann Greer). Grahame really puts the number over.

The film's other pleasures include Haggerty as the reliable private eye, Kathleen O'Malley (WAGON MASTER) in a brief but memorable scene as a cop's wife, and a young Chuck Connors, over four years before his RIFLEMAN TV Western, as a police detective. I wished that the story had been such that it would have made sense for Connors' character to be in the film longer.

The cast also includes Billy Chapin, Tol Avery, and Stuart Randall.

I noted when I first saw the movie that cinematographer Russell Metty's black and white shooting of "Border City" seems to foreshadow his later work in TOUCH OF EVIL (1958). That still hit me strongly on this viewing several years later.

The movie runs 86 minutes. It was directed by Jerry Hopper.

Extras on the Blu-ray are the trailer, a gallery of four additional trailers for films available from Kino Lorber, and a commentary track by Kat Ellinger.

Film noir and crime film fans should particularly enjoy NAKED ALIBI. While not a top-drawer classic, NAKED ALIBI is a solid, entertaining film with excellent lead actors which holds up to repeat viewing. Recommended.

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