Laura's Miscellaneous Musings

Thursday, February 24, 2022

Noir City Hollywood Festival Returns April 15-17, 2022

February 23rd brought wonderful news: The return of the Noir City Hollywood Festival is scheduled for April!

The festival will be held from April 15th to 17th, 2022.

This will be the first Noir City Hollywood Festival since March 2020, when the festival was abruptly shut down midway through the week, for reasons we all know well. The March 11, 2020 Noir City screening of THE LONG HAUL (1957) turned out to be the last film I saw in a theater until July 2021.

With the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard undergoing long-term renovations, this year's festival will be held at the Hollywood Legion Theater on North Highland Avenue. It will be a relatively short three-day affair, yet will manage to screen eight films over the course of the weekend.

As usual, the festival will be hosted by the Film Noir Foundation's Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode.

Opening night on the 15th will consist of TRY AND GET ME (1950), starring Lloyd Bridges, Frank Lovejoy, and Richard Carlson. It will be followed by the "B" film THE ARGYLE SECRETS (1948), starring William Gargan and Marjorie Lord. Both films were directed by Cy Endfield.

THE PROWLER (1951) will be shown as a Saturday matinee on April 16th. Van Heflin and Evelyn Keyes star, directed by Joseph Losey.

Saturday night will feature Loretta Young in THE ACCUSED (1949), directed by William Dieterle; Robert Cummings and Wendell Corey costar. It will be followed by CAGED (1950), starring Eleanor Parker and directed by John Cromwell.

The Sunday matinee on the 17th will be THE UNDERWORLD STORY (1950), starring Dan Duryea and Gale Storm.

Sunday evening's films will be NO WAY OUT (1950), starring Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell, and Sidney Poitier, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and THE BREAKING POINT (1950), starring John Garfield and Patricia Neal, directed by Michael Curtiz.

I've already purchased tickets for THE ARGYLE SECRETS, THE PROWLER, NO WAY OUT, and THE BREAKING POINT, all of which will be first-time watches.

The Noir City Hollywood Festival will take place the weekend prior to the TCM Classic Film Festival, with some attendees arriving in town early to experience both festivals. I'm especially excited about seeing friends from out of town for the first time in a few years, along with some great film noir!

Be sure to check out a detailed story on the festival published by Variety, which includes an informative interview with Alan K. Rode.

Tickets may be purchased at the Hollywood Legion Theater website.

Please click any of the hyperlinked titles above to read my past reviews of three of the weekend's films.

April will be a wonderful month for classic film fans in Hollywood!

Update: A Visit to the Noir City Film Festival.

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Tonight's Movie: Honest Thief (2020)

I was hoping to see HONEST THIEF (2020) when it came out in October 2020, but I didn't manage to see it when theaters were open in Southern California that fall.

I've now finally caught up with it and quite enjoyed it. It's another good Liam Neeson action film in the mode of films such as UNKNOWN (2011), NON-STOP (2014), and THE COMMUTER (2018).

In HONEST THIEF Neeson plays the title character, Tom Dolan, who has a past as a methodical, non-violent bank robber.

Tom meets charming Annie (Kate Walsh of GREY'S ANATOMY) and after a year together he decides he's got to clear his past so that they can enjoy a guilt-free future. Tom has never spent any of the stolen money and plans to turn it all in to the FBI in exchange for a reduced sentence; he's hoping that when he confesses to Annie she'll stand by him and wait for his release from prison.

Tom contacts FBI Agents Parker (Robert Patrick) and Meyers (Jeffrey Donovan of BURN NOTICE), but they're initially skeptical that he's the real deal. They send Agents Nivens (Jai Courtney) and Hall (Anthony Ramos) to meet with Dolan and do the initial investigation, but Nivens gets one look at the money and wants it for himself. He manages to browbeat his partner into agreeing.

Nivens and a protesting but compliant Hall are about to cover their tracks for stealing the money by staging Dolan's death when their boss Agent Parker arrives on scene, and let's just say things get very, very complicated from that point on. Dolan not only has to pay for his past sins and set things straight with Annie, he's got to clear himself from a charge of murder...and keep Nivens from killing him and Annie while he's doing it.

This was a solid, enjoyable film which has pretty much just what one wants from a Neeson action film: Car chases, clever tricks, and a little romance, all in service of a pretty good story.

The movie takes some time midway through to work through why Tom stole in the first place, as well as dealing with Annie's shock at the news her beloved boyfriend's a bank robber. We know it's all a fantasy, but screenwriters Mark Williams and Steve Allrich think of all the right questions to cover at this juncture, and Neeson and Walsh do a pretty convincing job with the material.

By the end of the movie Annie actually enjoys it when Tom blows something up, exclaiming an appreciative "Wow!" It's pretty cute. Neeson and Walsh have excellent chemistry, and I frankly also loved that the leads in this romantic action movie were in their 50s and 60s when it was filmed.

Donovan has a good role as an FBI investigator who has just gone through a divorce; all he got in the settlement was the dog, who follows him through his workday. Donovan's laid-back scenes with his partner underscore the humdrum nature of many police investigations, but the audience, like Tom, really comes to appreciate Agent Meyers as the movie goes on. Unlike Nivens and Hall, he's an honest, ethical man Tom can trust, and in turn Meyers develops a certain appreciation for Tom.

One of the reviews which had initially interested me in the film a couple years ago was by Frank Scheck at the Hollywood Reporter, who accurately wrote "Minus its elaborate car chases and pyrotechnics, the film would have landed perfectly as a '40s-era Warner Brothers programmer..." It really is a good, old-fashioned story.

Like movies of an older era, it's also very nicely paced and knows when to quit. The running time is 99 minutes, but if one subtracts the lengthy end credits, the story's told in about 90 minutes. Perfect.

Mark Williams directed. The movie was filmed by Shelly Johnson. Much of the film was shot on location around Worcester, Massachusetts.

Parental Advisory: This film is rated PG-13 for some language and violence; it's not particularly graphic. As PG-13 films go, I've seen plenty with much heavier content.

A trailer is here. Those who don't like spoilers should be aware the trailer hits a lot of the movie's high points in just over two minutes.

HONEST THIEF is available in a Blu-ray/DVD combination package or as a DVD release.

New Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column

This month at Classic Movie Hub I take readers along to visit the final resting places of a number of Western actors.

The article also considers some of the ways the referenced actors were connected, in both life and death, while providing an opportunity to reflect on the joy each of them has brought to our lives through their work.

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub to visit the column, and thanks very much for reading.

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

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Tonight's Movie: Repeat Performance (1947) - A Flicker Alley Blu-ray Review

One of my all-time favorite film festival discoveries, REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947), has just been released in a very special Blu-ray/DVD combination set by Flicker Alley.

Flicker Alley has released this beautifully restored print in conjunction with the Film Noir Foundation and UCLA Film & Television Archive.

I first saw REPEAT PERFORMANCE in 2013 at the UCLA Festival of Preservation. The movie had been out of circulation for so long that the Film Noir Foundation's Eddie Muller said some people wondered if they'd dreamed the movie!

It was an apt comment, as the movie's dreamlike mood envelops the viewer, who is swept up in the magical tale from the very first moments. It doesn't seem all that far-fetched that with the passage of decades, some viewers might have wondered whether or not their half-forgotten memories were real.

I loved the film so much that I went to see it again just a month later at the Noir City Hollywood Festival; three years later I was fortunate to see it again at the TCM Classic Film Festival.

As I wrote after my first viewing, the film gives me a warm glow just thinking about it. I've been waiting close to a decade now for a release for home viewing, and Flicker Alley's Blu-ray is more than worth the wait.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE is a unique film which has been likened to a TWILIGHT ZONE episode mashed up with IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946), with a dash of ALL ABOUT EVE (1950) on the side.

Joan Leslie was just 21 when she began filming her role as Sheila Page, a Broadway actress who as the movie begins has just shot and killed her husband, playwright Barney Page (Louis Hayward). Barney, an embittered alcoholic, has recently had an affair with fellow playwright Paula Costello (Virginia Field).

The dazed Sheila throws a coat on over her nightgown and runs outside, where the rest of the world is celebrating New Year's Eve. She turns for help to her two closest friends, poet William Williams (Richard Basehart, in his film debut), and Broadway producer John Friday (Tom Conway).

Sheila tells William she wishes she could live the past year over, and just as they arrive at John's apartment, William disappears. When Sheila enters John's apartment and takes off her coat, she's no longer in her nightgown, but instead is wearing last year's New Year's Eve dress. Somehow, some way, Sheila has been granted the chance to redo the previous year, with the hope that this time things will turn out differently.

Sheila is initially thrilled by her second chance, yet she discovers that her attempts to trick fate and engineer a happier outcome don't always work. For instance, she doesn't take a trip to London so that Barney won't meet Paula, but Barney and Paula meet anyway. Will Sheila be able to avoid shooting Barney on New Year's Eve?

This is a magical 91 minutes which is such a good film in every respect, as attested to by the fact I've watched it several times over the past decade. Everything about the film is top notch, including the screenplay by Walter Bullock, from a novel by William O'Farrell; Alfred L. Werker's confident, stylish direction; the gleaming black and white cinematography of L. William O'Connell; Joan Leslie's gowns by Oleg Cassini and hairstyles by Eunice; and of course the performances of the deep cast.

Joan Leslie is outstanding as the warm and supportive Sheila; her mature performance belies her young age, anchoring the film and enabling us to believe in Sheila and the story. Basehart, as her troubled, loyal friend, similarly contributes strongly to the film's mystical tone. Sheila is able to confide what she's going through to William and have a sounding board, and similarly her "erased" year allows her to advise him at key moments.

Hayward has a difficult role as a man unable to appreciate the gem he has in his wife. It might be hard to believe a man could be unhappy with such a beautiful and loving partner, but Hayward successfully conveys a man crumbling to pieces, depressed by his inability to write a second hit play and by his wife's professional success; he drinks, has an affair, and ultimately experiences a terrible accident which leaves him even angrier and more distant. Like the story itself, Barney becomes so evil that it could be unbelievable, and yet somehow it all works.

Sheila perseveres, hoping to rebuild their relationship; Leslie believably convinces us that Sheila is genuine in trying to do so, and that it's out of an inner strength, rather than being walked on by her mean-spirited husband. At the same time the warmth of Sheila's much happier relationship with John is repeatedly yet subtly underscored.

Conway gives a graceful performance as John, who is always there when Sheila turns to him for help, wanting to make her happy yet also secure in himself. They are a well-matched pair. Near the end of the film John's feelings are oh-so-briefly acknowledged, and we hope they will have the kind of future together that Sheila couldn't have with Barney.

The entire cast is excellent, including Field as Paula, who has ice water in her veins; Benay Venuta (ANNIE GET YOUR GUN) as Sheila's boisterous friend and colleague; Natalie Schafer (GILLIAN'S ISLAND) as a truly vile woman who financially backs William's writing and delights in spreading gossip. Keefe Brasselle (NOT WANTED and NEVER FEAR) appears briefly as a delivery boy.

The outstanding narration is by John Ireland.

I watched the set's Blu-ray, which is absolutely gorgeous. Sound quality is also excellent.

The set includes marvelous extras from a number of people I've been privileged to get to know to varying degrees over the years. The bonus features start off with a short introduction to the film from Eddie Muller. Farran Smith Nehme, aka the Self-Styled Siren, contributes a brief but well-done featurette on the career of Joan Leslie, with many of the actress's achievements coming at a remarkably young age. Alan K. Rode narrates Steven C. Smith's interesting 35-minute documentary EAGLE-LION: A NOIR-STAINED LEGACY (2022), and the commentary track is by Nora Fiore, the "Nitrate Diva." I haven't yet heard the commentary, but I enjoyed Nora's work on THE STRANGER (1946) and I feel confident it will be an informative track.

The glossy booklet includes a beautifully illustrated essay by Brian Light comparing the original William O'Farrell novel to the film. To top things off, there's reversible case cover art and the Blu-ray and DVD discs have attractive contrasting colors, as seen here.

It's only February, but Flicker Alley's release of REPEAT PERFORMANCE just might be the set of the year. Very highly recommended.

Thanks to Flicker Alley for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray/DVD set.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE may be purchased through the Flicker Alley website as well as through retailers such as Amazon.

Monday, February 21, 2022

Quick Preview of TCM in April

Here's a quick look at some of the interesting things coming to the Turner Classic Movies schedule in April!

Errol Flynn will be the April Star of the Month. His career will be celebrated with over three dozen films shown on Monday evenings, continuing overnight into each Tuesday.

The April Noir Alley titles will be PITFALL (1948), BOB LE FLAMBEUR (1956), NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950), THE WINDOW (1949), and JOHNNY ANGEL (1945).

BOB LE FLAMBEUR is part of a special "April in Paris Weekend" on April 9th and 10th.

The TCM Spotlight will focus on time travel. There are also two "special themes" in April, drugs on film and baseball.

An evening of "Amazing Stunts" will tie in with a new book from TCM and Running Press, DANGER ON THE SILVER SCREEN by TCM's Scott McGee. Films shown that night include SAFETY LAST! (1923), STAGECOACH (1939), and BEN-HUR (1959).

Additional April themes include criminals on the run, beach movies, heist films, Westerns, '50s sci-fi, and convicts.

As usual, Easter Sunday, April 17th, will include a showing of EASTER PARADE (1948), as well as several films with religious themes.

Filmmakers receiving multifilm tributes in April include Debbie Reynolds, Doris Day, Charles Walters, Howard Keel, Anthony Perkins, John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, David Lean, Virginia O'Brien, Robert Mitchum, and Lionel Barrymore.

I'm especially excited about the TCM premiere of a film I've never seen directed by Yasujiro Ozu, AN INN IN TOKYO (1935).

I'll have much more on the April schedule posted here around the first of that month.

In the meantime, Henry Fonda is the February Star of the Month, with the annual 31 Days of Oscar series to be held in March.

Also, a reminder: The TCM Classic Film Festival will be held in Hollywood from April 21st to the 24th, 2022.

Update: For more on TCM in April 2022, please visit my posts TCM in April: Highlights and TCM Star of the Month: Errol Flynn.

Sunday, February 20, 2022

Tonight's Movie: The Oklahoma Kid (1939)

This weekend I watched James Cagney as THE OKLAHOMA KID (1939) for the first time.

It was particularly appropriate viewing, as on Saturday I visited Iverson Movie Ranch, where sections of the movie were filmed.

By coincidence it also worked out that on the same day I visited the gravesite of the film's leading lady, singer-actress Rosemary Lane, at Forest Lawn Glendale. Viewing the movie thus tied together both of Saturday's day trip locations.

It's common for some folks to make fun of THE OKLAHOMA KID, inasmuch as stars Cagney and Humphrey Bogart were more commonly seen in gangster pictures in that era. I'm happy to say I had no issue with the casting whatsoever; good actors are good actors.

Cagney may not be the first person one thinks of to be riding a horse -- indeed, there's a very obvious stunt double making a running leap for his horse at one point -- but he's as compelling as usual; Bogart, dressed all in black, is a bone-chillingly cold villain. There's not a whole lot of difference, when one thinks about it, between a '20s or '30s era gangster and someone who takes over a frontier town's gambling establishment.

The Oklahoma Kid was born Jim Kincaid; he's had a wild life and is estranged from his father (Hugh Sothern) and brother (Harvey Stephens), who are trying to bring law and order to the newly formed town of Tulsa.

Stagecoach robber Whip McCord (Bogart) is a crook through and through; he stakes a crooked claim during a land rush as blackmail to ensure he receives control of the new town's saloons.

McCord eventually plots to have the senior Kincaid framed for murder and lures the honest judge (Donald Crisp) out of town on a pretext in order to form a kangaroo court, followed by a hanging. The judge's daughter Jane (Lane), who's sweet on Jim, finds out and warns Jim, who gets the judge back to town, but to no avail. His father has been lynched.

And so Jim methodically goes about tracking down the men responsible, one after the other after the other...

This 85-minute film is a nicely paced Western with some good action scenes, including the final shootout. The movie doesn't break any new ground, but its familiar type of Western story works to the film's benefit as "movie comfort food," and I thought it was a solid piece of entertainment.

The cast, which also includes Ward Bond as Bogart's top henchman, is a good one, and there's a nice amount of outdoor shooting, filmed in black and white by filmed by James Wong Howe. Lloyd Bacon directed, and the score was by Max Steiner.

THE OKLAHOMA KID is available on DVD from the Warner Archive Collection, which first released the movie in 2014. The print is fairly scratched-up in places, but on the whole it's decent and certainly quite viewable. The disc includes the movie trailer.

THE OKLAHOMA KID also had a VHS release in 2000.

Book Review: 20th Century-Fox: Darryl F. Zanuck and the Creation of the Modern Film Studio

I've long been an admirer of Scott Eyman, going back to titles such as PRINT THE LEGEND: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN FORD, LION OF HOLLYWOOD: THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF LOUIS B. MAYER, ERNST LUBITSCH: LAUGHTER IN PARADISE, and EMPIRE OF DREAMS: THE EPIC LIFE OF CECIL B. DEMILLE.

In more recent years I've reviewed Eyman's JOHN WAYNE: THE LIFE AND LEGEND and CARY GRANT: A BRILLIANT DISGUISE. I've also had the pleasure of chatting with the author at events such as the Lone Pine Film Festival.

Given that background, I was delighted to receive a copy of his latest book, 20TH CENTURY-FOX: DARRYL F. ZANUCK AND THE CREATION OF THE MODERN FILM STUDIO. It was published by Turner Classic Movies and Running Press.

This new book is considerably shorter than the typical Eyman book, but no less interesting; indeed, it's a breezy, fast-paced read which is both concise and filled with sharply noted insights. It provides a terrific overview of the studio, William Fox, and especially Darryl F. Zanuck (seen here), who was both tyrant and genius.

Fox grew up a poor New Yorker who mostly cared about making money, yet while under his control the Fox studio was also at the forefront of new technology, including the early widescreen process seen in Raoul Walsh's THE BIG TRAIL (1930) -- a film which, incidentally, I was able to see Eyman discuss at the 2018 Lone Pine Film Festival.

Fox went bankrupt during the Depression and his namesake studio eventually merged with Darry F. Zanuck's 20th Century Pictures, becoming 20th Century-Fox. Fox provided most of the assets, including a worldwide distribution network and a film library, while 20th Century provided Zanuck's movie-making brilliance.

Eyman sketches Zanuck's passion for movies, his ability to meet changing times, his uncanny knack for both writing and editing, and his ability to recognize future film stars; 20th Century-Fox started out with just a handful of actors who were box office successes, but Zanuck built up a stable of popular stars. In one such case (encouraged by his wife Virginia), Tyrone Power jumped from a bit part in GIRLS' DORMITORY (1936) to the lead in LLOYDS OF LONDON (1936), becoming one of the studio's greatest stars for many years.

As was often the case with other studio heads of the era, Zanuck was consumed by his work. His family received short shrift, with Virginia also tolerating his serial infidelity; at one point they were separated for 17 years, reconciling when he was in poor health late in life. Son Richard would eventually go to work for his father as the head of production, but his father also fired him a few years later, so their relationship was anything but simple.

In the end the story of Zanuck and his studio is both admirable and tragic; Zanuck's passion for his job over family is tremendously sad on a personal level, yet resulted in scores of films which still entertain and inspire today.

The book concludes with a brief look at the studio in the post-Zanuck years, including its years under Alan Ladd Jr. and its acquisition by Disney.

Eyman has an engaging writing style, and despite a relatively low page count, he manages to hit the high points in such a way that he tells the story with a sense of depth, which doesn't feel in any way as though he's simply skimming the history. I found the book of such interest that I managed to speed through it in just a couple of sittings.

I reviewed an advance uncorrected proof, so I won't comment on any typographical or spelling issues which very likely didn't make it into the final copy.

There was one stray factual tidbit which puzzled me, a comment that John Ford got permission to bury Tom Mix in a military cemetery despite Mix having been a deserter. Perhaps the anecdote strictly refers to gaining the permission and nothing more; it caught my eye as Mix is buried on a steep hill at Forest Lawn Glendale. It's possible this was caught before final printing. Otherwise, it's evident from Eyman's books that he knows his stuff and researches deeply.

The index was not yet prepared for the advance copy. The book also has end notes and a short bibliography, as well as black and white photographs. I reviewed a softcover edition; the final page count given by both Running Press and Amazon for the published hardcover copy was 304 pages.

20TH CENTURY-FOX: DARRYL F. ZANUCK AND THE CREATION OF THE MODERN FILM STUDIO is a recommended read.

I have at least three more book reviews in the works! Stay tuned.

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

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Tonight's Movie: Death on the Nile (2022)

A little over four years ago I saw Kenneth Branagh's version of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017). Branagh directed and also starred as Agatha Christie's master detective Hercule Poirot.

I quite enjoyed that film, more than many critics, and have been looking forward to Branagh's version of DEATH ON THE NILE (2022) ever since. I certainly never dreamed it would take so long, as the release date was pushed back multiple times due to COVID restrictions, but it's now in theaters at long last.

I enjoyed DEATH ON THE NILE quite well; while not a great film, it's solid and enjoyable, just like its predecessor. In fact, I'd venture to say that I actually liked it more than the 1978 version, which I reviewed in 2020.

DEATH ON THE NILE begins with a nice old-fashioned feel thanks to the 20th Century-Fox fanfare, complete with the CinemaScope extension theme music. There's a modern change to go with the classic music, however, as the company is now called 20th Century Studios.

The film begins with a World War I prologue which helps explain Poirot's mustache -- which, it should be noted, is not as out of control crazy-looking as it was in ORIENT EXPRESS. It was nice not to be distracted in that regard.

After the prologue we then move forward in time to the story of Simon (Armie Hammer, THE SOCIAL NETWORK), who jilts his fiancee Jacqueline (Emma Mackey) for her good friend, heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot, WONDER WOMAN).

The newlyweds take a post-wedding cruise down the Nile, followed by Jacqueline; also on board is the great detective Hercule Poirot (Branagh) and a variety of passengers include singer Salome (Sophie Okonedo) and her daughter Rosalie (Letitia Wright, BLACK PANTHER); Poirot's friend Bouc (Tom Bateman, who also played the character in ORIENT EXPRESS) and his artist mother Euphemia (Annette Bening); and a doctor (Russell Brand).

This being an Agatha Christie story, it isn't long before someone ends up dead, and then someone else, and then... It's up to Poirot to solve the mystery and hopefully save other lives.

Those familiar with the Christie story or the original film will recognize that some characters have been changed, renamed, or are missing, which also allows for more diverse casting; I felt that the changes worked well, and the basic storyline regarding Linnet's marriage and the following murders on the Nile is still there.

Truth to tell, one of this film's virtues is its relatively streamlined telling, clocking in at 127 minutes instead of the 1978 film's 140. Had I been the editor I would have also cut out Poirot's prologue and epilogue to give the film an even crisper running time; it would have been worth eliminating a bit of character shading in order to achieve a running time under two hours.

Regarding character development, I did feel that the 1978 version tended to move the "player game pieces" from place to place simply to unlock the puzzle rather than give us much in the way of depth; the characters were there to serve Christie's story. To be sure, the sheer number of people in the cast makes it hard to delve too deeply into character and motivations, but I felt like the new film does a better job conveying emotions and mood, particularly with regard to Simon's sultry relationships with Jacqueline and Linnet. (Almost too sultry, as Simon engages in some fairly explicit dancing early on with both ladies.)

I particularly liked Gadot as the regal Linnet, who is clearly used to having her way in all things yet remains sympathetic -- certainly more so than Lois Chiles in the previous film.

Branagh is again fine as Poirot, though his rapid-fire announcement of the solution to the mystery was almost hard to follow, given the accompanying accent! This is a film I will watch again someday on Blu-ray with the captions on.

Angela Lansbury's writer of the previous version is a singer this time around, played by Okonedo, and despite the related story and character changes, Okonedo is one of the film's best, mostly lively assets. I also liked the new character played by Annette Bening, who seems to be channeling her very best Ida Lupino vibes; it works very well.

Most of the cast is fine, but frankly I feel the film could have used more star power in roles such as Linnet's financial adviser (Ali Fazal) and maid (Rose Leslie) or Mrs. Van Schuyler (Jennifer Saunders) and her companion (Dawn French). The actors are all adequate and have had successful careers, but they're not especially memorable; additionally, part of the fun of a film like this is a star-studded cast, and I would have liked to see a little more of that type of notable casting. Fans of any of the noted actors may have a different take on that!

The cruise ship is gorgeous, with its beveled glass windows and white and silver decor; the beautiful setting adds a great deal to the film's mood and is a definite strong point. Given how good the main set is, some of the movie's incredibly obvious CGI work is therefore rather surprising. However, if one looks at it as being on a level with back projections of the classic film era, I suppose it's a step up.

The music is by Patrick Doyle, who scored MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and has worked on other films I like, including CINDERELLA (2015). Also like MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, the screenplay is by Michael Green, with cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos.

Parental Advisory: This film is rated PG-13 for some suggestive scenes and dialogue, along with mild gore.

A trailer is here.

DEATH ON THE NILE may not be a great film, but this is a solid, attractive telling of a classic story. I found it quite a pleasant afternoon at the movies and would definitely watch it again.

Around the Blogosphere This Week...

...is taking the day off, as I spent it doing some exploring in the Greater Los Angeles area.

My Saturday included a return visit to Iverson Movie Ranch, where I photographed Lone Ranger Rock, seen here.

Around the Blogosphere This Week will return on Saturday, February 26th!

For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my February 12th roundup.

Friday, February 18, 2022

Tonight's Movie: Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

Run, do not walk, to purchase GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (1933), just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive.

GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 was one of a trio of remarkable 1933 Warner Bros. musicals; the other two, 42ND STREET (1933) and FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933), were previously released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive. Click those titles for review links.

I first saw GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 as a teenager when my parents took me to a screening at UC Irvine. I suspect it was a 16mm Films Incorporated print but am not certain. As I watched this spectacularly good-looking new Blu-ray, prepared "from the best preservation elements," I couldn't help reflecting how the print quality I've experienced has evolved over the years since that first viewing.

I reviewed the film here after rewatching it on DVD in 2008. As I noted then, GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 is "the ultimate Depression-era musical." The movie combines gritty realism with magical escapism, and it all works.

The plot concerns a bevy of actresses (Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Aline MacMahon, and Ginger Rogers), who land roles in a new show produced by Barney Hopkins (marvelous Ned Sparks, who like the movie itself combines Depression exhaustion with optimism).

The show goes ahead thanks to the backing of Brad Roberts (Dick Powell), who also composes the score and goes on as a last-minute replacement in the lead role. Brad's involvement in the theater horrifies his Boston blue-blood older brother J. Lawrence Bradford (Warren William), who's determined to get Brad to quit and also give up his romance with Polly (Keeler).

And then stuffy J. Lawrence finds himself falling for Polly's roommate Carol (Blondell)...meanwhile, the show must go on! And what a show, packed with amazing numbers choreographed by Busby Berkeley. From the opening moments of Ginger Rogers singing "We're in the Money" in Pig Latin to the final stirring, kaleidoscopic "Forgotten Man" number, this film has it all.

I especially love "The Shadow Waltz," with neon-lit violins forming patterns in the dark. Legend has it that the filming of that sequence was interrupted by the March 1933 Long Beach Earthquake! (My maternal great-grandfather's Long Beach business building collapsed in that quake, but that's another story...) The score is by Harry Warren and Al Dubin; there's a funny joke in the script about them as well.

GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and filmed by Sol Polito. It runs 97 minutes.

The supporting cast includes Guy Kibbee and Etta Moten, who sings part of the "Forgotten Man" number. Future cowboy star "Wild Bill" Elliott can be spotted in the background in a nightclub scene.

Among the chorus girls is Dorothy Coonan Wellman, who married director William Wellman the following year; they had seven children, including William Wellman Jr., who I've been honored to meet on several occasions. She's seen here performing in "The Shadow Waltz."

A number of extras were carried over from the previous DVD release, including the trailer, a featurette, three cartoons, and three shorts. A song selection menu is also included on the Blu-ray.

The included cartoons are I'VE GOT TO SING A TORCH SONG (1933), PETTIN' IN THE PARK (19334), and WE'RE IN THE MONEY (1933). The shorts are THE 42ND STREET SPECIAL (1933), RAMBLING 'ROUND RADIO ROW (1933), and SEASONED GREETINGS (1932).

Like FOOTLIGHT PARADE and 42ND STREET, the GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 Blu-ray belongs on every classic film fan's shelf; all three films look great and have endless "rewatch value." Highly recommended.

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

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Tonight's TV: The Indian Doctor - Series 2 (2012) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Last fall I watched the first season of THE INDIAN DOCTOR (2010-2013), a three-season British TV series released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

Set in 1960s Wales, the series concerns the title doctor, Prem Sharma (Sanjeev Bhaskar), and his wife Kamini (Ayesha Dharker). Having recently experienced the death of their young daughter, the couple decide to relocate from India to a small Welsh village, with Dr. Sharma working for the National Health Service.

I really enjoyed Season 1, reviewed here, particularly Dharker's complex performance as the doctor's brainy, lonely wife. Kamini eventually takes Dan (Jacob Oakley), the young son of the town drunk (Ifan Huw Daffyd), under her wing and begins to find meaning in her new life.

In Season 2 Kamini's mother Pushpa (Indira Joshi) arrives in Wales for an extended visit. Shortly after she arrives, Dr. Sharma finds himself dealing with the unthinkable, a smallpox epidemic. And the first to be stricken is Dan, who now has his own room in the Sharmas' home, while also spending time with his father.

It was quite something to watch a show filmed a decade or so ago which bore so much relevance to the world we've been living in the last couple of years, with Dr. Sharma admonishing the villagers to stay six feet apart and stay home. It certainly "hits" differently watching it now than it would have when it first aired.

Bhaskar and Dharker are excellent as multilayered, interesting characters, though I wish the writers would give up the crutch of having their important conversations interrupted by medical emergencies.

Joshi is also very interesting as someone who is much more than the stereotypical meddling mother-in-law; she has a particularly great moment jumping into action during the epidemic, as she's one of the only people in town who's been previously vaccinated against smallpox.

I do find it a bit odd, given how well-written the lead characters are, that they're pitted against cartoon villains. In Season 1 the villain was big business, in the form of a crooked mine manager who didn't look out for the miners' health; in Season 2 the villain is a mentally disturbed minister (Mark Heap). The vaccine team from NHS, a battling husband and wife, are also rather ridiculous.

On the flip side, there's a nice subplot about widowed pub owner Megan (Mali Harries); she and Dr. Sharma share an (almost) unspoken attraction, yet he remains committed to Kamini, while Megan is courted by Emlyn (Alun ap Brinly), the local police sergeant.

In the end, the show is flawed yet quite worthwhile. I'm very glad to have become acquainted with it and look forward to Season 3, which I'll be reviewing at a future date.

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

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

New TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements

Today Turner Classic Movies announced a number of interesting films for the upcoming TCM Classic Film Festival.

Here's a list of the announcements which particularly caught my eye:

*7TH HEAVEN (1927), a silent film starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, directed by Frank Borzage, with live music by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra

*THREE ON A MATCH (1932), a pre-Code classic starring Joan Blondell, Warren William, Ann Dvorak, and Bette Davis

*Will Rogers and Dick Powell in TOO BUSY TO WORK (1932)

*MAISIE GETS HER MAN (1942) starring Ann Sothern and Red Skelton

*The marvelous MGM musical THE HARVEY GIRLS (1946), with Judy Garland heading a top cast

*HOUSEBOAT (1958), starring Cary Grant and Sophia Loren

*SOMEWHERE IN TIME (1980) with Jane Seymour in attendance

*DINER (1982) with several cast members in attendance

The complete list of announced films may be found at the festival website. 39 films have been scheduled to date. The full schedule is typically somewhere around 80 films, so if this year's festival follows that precedent, around half of the titles have now been announced.

Festival attendees may also wish to know that Los Angeles County currently deviates from most of California in requiring masks indoors; however, it now appears that the mandate will probably be lifted well in advance of the festival. Yesterday the County estimated that the mandate would end around mid-March.

The TCM Classic Film Festival will take place in Hollywood from April 21st to 24th, 2022.

February 18th Update: I'm very pleased to announce that I will be covering the festival again this year as a member of the credentialed media.

Previously: TCM Announces 2022 Film Festival (October 6, 2021); TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements (November 3, 2021); Latest 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements (December 11, 2021).

Brief festival updates were also included in my "Around the Blogosphere This Week" link roundups on January 29th and February 5th, 2022.

Monday, February 14, 2022

Happy Valentine's Day!

Best wishes to all for a very happy Valentine's Day!

This year's Valentine's Day post features Arlene Dahl as the Queen of Hearts. Arlene passed away last November at the age of 96 but left us all with many wonderful films to enjoy, as well as beautiful photos like this one.

Have a wonderful holiday!

Previous Valentine's Day posts: Anne Gwynne (2014), Dorothy Hart (2015), Lynn Merrick (2016), Debbie Reynolds (2017), Marsha Hunt (2018), Dianne Foster (2019), Ann Rutherford (2020), and Piper Laurie (2021).

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