TCM in November: Highlights

Happy November!

The year is moving right along, and it's time for a look at the November lineup on Turner Classic Movies.

Burt Lancaster will be the November Star of the Month, with 31 of his films screening spread across Tuesday evenings. I'll be highlighting some of the titles below.

 The November Noir Alley films will be BREAKDOWN (1952) on November 7th and 8th, SLANDER (1957) November 14th-15th, NORA PRENTISS (1947) on the 21st and 22nd, and THE GREAT FLAMARION (1945) on November 28th and 29th.

BREAKDOWN, starring William Bishop, is a TCM premiere.

The November TCM Spotlight is "Leaders of the Band," featuring big band leaders every Monday evening. Other highlights this month are "Gems from the Selznick Library," "Thanksgiving With Carol Burnett," and a centennial tribute to Terry Kilburn, Tiny Tim of the MGM version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938).

Below are just a few of the highlights from this month's TCM programming. Please click on any hyperlinked title to read an extended review.

...On November 2nd TCM celebrates Ann Rutherford with a nine-film tribute. I've seen most of the movies airing that day, and I especially love the "B" film TWO O'CLOCK COURAGE (1945), costarring Tom Conway and directed by Anthony Mann.

...Burt Lancaster's Star of the Month movies begin with some adventure films airing during daytime hours on November 3rd. In the evening there's a killer (sorry) crime/noir lineup including two of the all-time greats, THE KILLERS (1946) and CRISS CROSS (1949). There's more on a special screening I attended of CRISS CROSS, at one of its Los Angeles locations, here.

...On November 4th the daytime lineup features Warner Bros. films starring various combinations of James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, and Ruby Keeler. Among the films is A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1935), which I recently revisited and thoroughly enjoyed.

...Only on TCM will we find a tribute to director Edward Sedgwick. A whopping 10 of his films will be shown on November 6th, including the enjoyable DEATH ON THE DIAMOND (1934) starring Robert Young and Madge Evans.

...One of the screenings I wish I'd been able to attend at last month's TCM Classic Cruise was THE LAST OF SHEILA (1973) with Dyan Cannon present. (I did get to see her at HEAVEN CAN WAIT, in which she's hilarious.) It's on TCM November 7th.

...The first of two evenings of "Gems From the Selznick Library " on November 8th honors Jennifer Jones, with showings of GONE TO EARTH (1950) and DUEL IN THE SUN (1946).

..."Leaders of the Band" on November 9th spotlights a pair of favorite films from 20th Century-Fox, SUN VALLEY SERENADE (1941) and ORCHESTRA WIVES (1942). They're followed by the TCM premiere of BIRTH OF THE BLUES (1941).

...The second day of Burt Lancaster films, on November 10th, includes SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957). I revisited it for the first time in years at the 2026 Noir City Film Festival. It's terrific.

...Veterans Day programming on November 11th includes TILL THE END OF TIME (1946), starring Guy Madison, Dorothy McGuire, and Robert Mitchum.

...A Grace Kelly birthday tribute on November 12th includes HIGH SOCIETY (1956), which I confessed last year I probably like more than THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940). Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra costar.

...Saturday, November 14th, includes MGM's interesting sailing drama, ALL THE BROTHERS WERE VALIANT (1953). It stars Robert Taylor, Ann Blyth, and Stewart Granger, with a wonderful musical score by Mikos Rozsa.

...The second night of Selznick films, on November 15th, features two films in which Alfred Hitchcock directed Gregory Peck, SPELLBOUND (1945) and THE PARADINE CASE (1947). While SPELLBOUND always ends up disappointing me somewhat, I thought THE PARADINE CASE was better than rumored.

...The November 17th "Leaders of the Band" lineup includes Cab Calloway in HI DE HO (1947), a film I compared to "turning on a nonstop jukebox!" I found it very enjoyable.

...The thriller EDGE OF ETERNITY (1959), filmed at the Grand Canyon, stars Cornel Wilde and was directed by Don Siegel.  It makes its TCM premiere on November 18th.

...TCM pays tribute to the wonderful Diane Baker on November 19th with a lineup which includes Hitchcock's MARNIE (1964). It's always a delight to see Diane out and about at Southern California classic movie screenings!

...A November 20th tribute to director Gregory La Cava includes a fairly rare TCM showing of SHE MARRIED HER BOSS (1935), starring Melvyn Douglas and Claudette Colbert.

...It's a good month for Preston Sturges fans on TCM, including a showing of the hilarious THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK (1944) on November 22nd. Keep reading for the date of a six-film Sturges marathon!

..."Leaders of the Band" features HOLLYWOOD HOTEL (1937) and several other fun films on November 23rd. The music, including Benny Goodman and his band, is incredible.

...The (almost) annual airing of PLYMOUTH ADVENTURE (1952) will take place on November 24th. I wish it were a better film, but I do appreciate its rarity as a film appropriate to air Thanksgiving week. Spencer Tracy, Gene Tierney, and Van Johnson star.

...British actor Terry Kilburn turns 100 on November 25th. He was born in London in 1926 and, following the passing of June Lockhart last year, he's the only surviving cast member of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938). Eight of Kilburn's films air on the 25th, including GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (1939). The inclusion of A CHRISTMAS CAROL is particularly nice given that it airs exactly a month before Christmas!

...Thanksgiving Day on November 26th has a perfect lineup of seven MGM musicals, including my two favorites, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954) and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944). What a great day of family viewing! In the evening Carol Burnett and Dave Karger host a trio of Burnett's films, including ANNIE (1982).

..."Black Friday" on November 27th features a day of hilarity with six Preston Sturges movies, including the always-hilarious THE PALM BEACH STORY (1942), which I just revisited a couple of months ago.

...The Warner Bros. "B" film THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET (1949), with a great cast headed by Wayne Morris and Janis Paige, airs on November 29th.

...The month wraps up with a birthday tribute to Virginia Mayo on November 30th, including the wonderful Western FORT DOBBS (1958), opposite Clint Walker. It deserves to be better known. I've seen every film in the lineup, some multiple times. As it's "Cyber Monday," why not stay home from work, do a little online shopping and watch some great movies?!

For more on TCM in November, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in November along with TCM's online schedule.

Best wishes to all for a very happy November and a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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New Western RoundUp Column at Classic Movie Hub

My latest Western RoundUp column has just been posted at Classic Movie Hub!

In this month's column I pay tribute to several Western actors via visits to their final resting places at a trio of Southern California cemeteries.

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub for my column, and thanks for reading!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; April 2020; May 2020; June 2020; July 2020; August 2020; September 2020; October 2020; November 2020; December 2020; January 2021; February 2021; March 2021; May 2021; June 2021; June 2021 (No. 2); July 2021; August 2021; September 2021; November 2021; December 2021; December 2021 (No. 2); January 2022; February 2022; March 2022; April 2022; May 2022; June 2022; July 2022; August 2022; September 2022; November 2022; November 2022 (No. 2); January 2023 (No. 1); January 2023 (No. 2); March 2023; April 2023; May 2023 (No. 1); May 2023 (No. 2); June 2023; July 2023; September 2023; September 2023 (No. 2); October 2023; November 2023; December 2023; January 2024; February 2024; March 2024; April 2024; May 2024; June 2024; July 2024; August 2024; September 2024; October 2024; November 2024; December 2024; January 2025; February 2025; March 2025; April 2025; May 2025; June 2025; July 2025; August 2025; September 2025; October 2025; November 2025; January 2026 (No. 1); January 2026 (No. 2); February 2026; March 2026; April 2026; June 2026 (No. 1); June (No. 2); July 2026; August 2026; September 2026.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

 ...Hot on the heels of the new Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray release of TV's MAVERICK (1957-62) comes the news that 77 SUNSET STRIP (1958-64) will be available for home viewing at long last. It will be released on DVD only, not Blu-ray; my understanding from Tim Millard is the reason for this may be the high music rights costs incurred. Millard says all of the music rights were cleared, "at great expense." The DVDs will be replicated, not DVD-Rs. I've just ordered it for review! 

...I'll also be reviewing the new Universal Blu-ray release of a favorite Deanna Durbin film, THE AMAZING MRS. HOLLIDAY (1943), which is due out in early November. Other titles due out on Blu-ray from Universal: HONOR AMONG LOVERS (1931), SIX OF A KIND (1934), WE'RE NOT DRESSING (1934), and KISS AND MAKE-UP (1934). (Thanks to reader Ashley for her help with this list.)

...Amazon recently had some Universal Blu-rays on sale, with prices as low as $5.49, so keep an eye on titles and prices both there and at Movie Zyng.

...Coming soon to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics: THE SILENT ONE (1973), starring Lino Ventura, and MR. BASEBALL (1992) with Tom Selleck.  THE SILENT ONE has a December 15th release date; the date for MR. BASEBALL has not yet been announced.

...I was very interested to recently learn of a memoir by the late screenwriter Andrew J. Fenady (CHISUM), BIG ENOUGH FOR JOHN WAYNE AND ME. It's been published by Bear Manor Media. I look forward to reading it!

...MUTINY (2026), starring Jason Statham, is out on Blu-ray and DVD this coming week.

...Thanks to Keith Buczak for the news that a book on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is on the way in February from Theme Park Press, written by David Richards.

...From The Guardian: How, if at all, will the latest studio merger impact Turner Classic Movies?

...Lynsi Snyder of In-N-Out Burger was the lead donor of the new Snyder School of Cinema & Media Arts at Biola University in La Mirada, California.

...I recently learned about an interesting-looking 2022 book from Angel City Press, BAR KEEPS: A COLLECTION OF CALIFORNIA COCKTAIL NAPKINS by Patrick Quinn.

...The Warner Archive Collection will release the Tex Avery Screwball Classics Vol. 4 Collection on December 1st.

...Genie Francis of GENERAL HOSPITAL has received a Life Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in honor of her five-decade career. For those who may be unaware, her father was character actor Ivor Francis (ROOM 222) and her husband is Jonathan Frakes (STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION).

...New from author Sam Wasson: FRANK CAPRA: A LIFE, published by HarperCollins. The Hollywood Reporter published an article on the book last week. Based on the article, the book sounds like a good antidote to Joseph McBride's FRANK CAPRA: THE CASTROPHE OF SUCCESS. I've appreciated much of McBride's work over the years, going back to my earliest teen years as a John Ford fan, but never really understood his hyper-critical stance on Capra.

...Recent Blu-ray reviews by Glenn Erickson at Trailers From Hell include MARKED WOMAN (1937), DEAR HEART (1964), and DUPLICITY (2009)...Colin has reviewed CAT PEOPLE (1942) at Riding the High Country...Jessica has reviewed the wonderful PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1943) at Comet Over Hollywood...Toby Roan's latest reviews include CRIME WAVE (1954) at The Hannibal 8 and MONTANA (1950) at 50 Westerns From the 50s.

...The November streaming lineup on the Criterion Channel includes the 10-film "Starring Gene Tierney" collection, with an introduction by Imogen Sara Smith.

...Attention Southern Californians: The restoration of Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1951) which played last spring at the TCM Classic Film Festival will play at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood from November 6th through 11th...There will also be a one-night showing of DUMBO (1941) at the El Capitan on November 7th.

...Book signings coming to Hollywood: Illeana Douglas signs her new book on THE WOMEN (1938), JUNGLE RED!, at the Egyptian Theatre on November 7th...Alicia Malone signs MURDER AT THE MOVIES and chats with her fellow TCM host Dave Karger at Larry Edmunds Bookshop on November 9th. Dave also has a new book out, 50 MOVIE NIGHTS.

...Notable Passings: A number of actors and filmmakers have passed on this month, including two STAR TREK legends, Patrick Stewart and Walter Koenig. Stewart passed on at 86 and Koenig died at age 90...Soap stars Robert Kelker-Kelly and Alan Dysert have passed away. Kelker-Kelly passed at age 62, while Dysert died at 75...Actor Tom Skerritt died at 93. I especially remember him for THE TURNING POINT (1977)...Actress Elke Sommer has passed on at 85...Voice actor Eric Bauza (COYOTE VS. ACME) died at 46...Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday has passed away at 66...Ron Koslow, who created TV's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST series (1987-90), died at 81...Actress Susan Saint James, fondly recalled by me for MCMILLAN AND WIFE (1971-76), passed on at 80. She's seen here with Rock Hudson.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my October 3rd column.

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Tonight's Movie: Sense and Sensibility (2026)

It's a "truth universally acknowledged," to borrow an Austen phrase, that the 1995 version of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is a perfect film.

Indeed, in 2014 I included it on my personal list of "10 Favorite Films of the Last 25 Years."

One might thus ask why I would bother to go see the brand-new version of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (2026), given the existence of the older film, but I've always enjoyed seeing alternative versions of Austen stories. The oldest production of the several editions of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY in my DVD collection dates from 1981; I have a fond memory of watching the first episode on TV during a college trip to the UK.

Austenites need no introduction to the story of the Dashwood family, left in dire financial straits after the father dies and his son from a prior marriage inherits their home.

Restrained Elinor (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her wilder sister Marianne (Esme Creed-Miles, daughter of Samantha Morton), their mother (Caitriona Balfe) and younger sister Margaret (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) move to a cottage on the estate of overly exuberant yet kind relations (Fiona Shaw and Turlough Convery).

Elinor pines after Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), who was curiously reticent to propose after growing close to Elinor before she moved away, and Marianne falls head over heels for Willoughby (Frank Dillane), not knowing that he's a scoundrel...while a much more worthy man Marianne gives short shrift, Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum), quietly loves her.

I think that's enough to give a taste of the familiar plot for anyone who might not have read the book or seen a previous movie or TV version.

I found the new film an absorbing and entertaining 132 minutes, with some caveats. If the 1995 version rates four (or even five!) stars, the 2026 edition is worthy of a solid three. A good film, and enjoyable to analyze its approach, but it does also have some issues.

Some of the production team is the same as for PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (2005), and both films try to be "different" partly by depicting a more rugged way of life. The film seems to want to be more daring and "Bronte-esque," but this ironically causes it to be inauthentic and ring false at times. Marianne lying around in the grass, always desperately in need of a hairbrush, gets silly.  

And speaking of silly, while there was indeed reference in the book to a past duel between Colonel Brandon and Willoughby, using it in a different context in the film was just absurd.

Before going on to what I liked about the film, I will pause here to note that the part of Mr. Palmer, memorably played by Hugh Laurie in 1995 with a mix of sarcasm and compassion, was greatly reduced here, I suspect in part to hide the character from too much focus on the casting; the irony is that the filmmakers wanted to make a "bold" statement but surely also knew it was a huge distraction. I'm deliberately not giving further details, as I don't wish the filmmakers to receive the attention they were clearly seeking. It was pointlessly absurd and provocative, and I will not dignify it with further discussion. 

Onward to the many aspects I enjoyed, starting with the casting of lovely Caitriona Balfe (FORD VS. FERRARI) as the widowed Mrs. Dashwood and Bodhi Rae Breathnach as Margaret. Margaret was nicely played by Emilie Francois in 1995, but here the part is further expanded, and Breathnach was outstanding casting. I also greatly enjoyed her earlier this year in SHELTER (2026) opposite Jason Statham.

While Creed-Miles as Marianne was cited by some reviewers as the film's breakout performance, I didn't find her to be so, or perhaps I was distracted by her perpetually unkempt hair. In contrast I found Edgar-Jones to be a perfect, highly sympathetic Elinor, and it is she who makes the film most worth seeing.

Among the male performances, Mackay is an appealing Edward, and I was amused by Tom Brooke in a smaller role as the girls' half-brother Tom, saddled with a greedy wife (Stacy Martin). Nordrum was a rather bland Colonel Brandon, particularly for those of us who fell in love with Alan Rickman three decades ago, but he's acceptable.

The movie was directed by Georgia Oakley from a screenplay by Diana Reed. The movie was filmed by Arnaud Potier, who leans a little too heavily into the dark brown aesthetic of many current films.

The movie is rated PG. Here is the trailer.

There have been an unusual number of "new" films recently which I've been interested in seeing.  Coming soon: A review of the latest Liam Neeson action film, THE MONGOOSE (2026).

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Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

This year I'm sharing studio Halloween publicity photos featuring the beautiful Ava Gardner.

Have a wonderful day!

Previous Halloween posts, in reverse chronological order: Vera-Ellen (2025), Paulette Goddard (2024), Ella Raines, Joyce Holden, Barbara Bates, Jane Adams, Patricia Alphin, Nan Grey, and Anne Gwynne (with Universal's black cat prop, 2023), Anne Gwynne, Peggy Moran, Anne Nagel, Nan Grey, Peggy Ryan, and Gloria Jean (with Universal's jack o'lantern prop, 2022), Ellen Drew (2021), Martha Vickers, Gale Robbins, Penny Edwards, and Barbara Bates (2020), Ann Rutherford (2019), Janis Paige (2018), Ella Raines (2017), Veronica Lake (2016), Barbara Bates (2015), Marsha Hunt (2014), Linda Darnell (2013), and the BEWITCHED cast (2012).

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Tonight's Movie: Marked Woman (1937) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

MARKED WOMAN (1937) is a terrific exemplar of '30s Warner Bros. style, featuring an excellent cast in a gritty crime drama.

As the movie begins, crime boss Johnny Vanning (Eduardo Ciannelli) has taken over a nightclub which is actually a clip joint, taking customers for as much money as possible through highly questionable means.

The club's "hostesses," including Mary (Bette Davis), are expected to help lighten the guests' wallets and must also turn over some of their tips in return for "protection," including the lawyers they will sometimes need.

Mary has increasingly bad experiences under Vanning's rule, including a "client" who writes a bad check being murdered, which leads to her spending time in jail. Eventually the dark goings-on reach Mary's innocent kid sister (Jane Bryan)... Can assistant district attorney David Graham (Humphrey Bogart) put Vanning in prison at long last?

This is an engrossing 96 minutes with a typical Warner Bros. cast of the era, including John Litel, Allen Jenkins, Lola Lane, and Henry O'Neill. My husband walked in the room just as the movie was starting, took a look at the cast, and exclaimed "A Warner Bros. special!" It's a fairly standard story, but I think that's part of the charm when we turn on a movie like this, we know what we'll get, including the familiar faces, and we like it.

Davis is always compelling, and her character is interesting in that she's got enough nerve to stand up to Vanning to a degree, but not enough nerve to strike out on her own in a more savory career. She makes a speech about not wanting to get by on a minimal income in another job, but given her character's smarts we have to wonder if her alternatives were really so poor.

Characters played by Isabel Jewell and Mayo Methot are more believably stuck in their jobs, clearly terrified of what's going to happen to them as they age out of being glamorous enough to attract wealthy male clients.

There's a great scene near movie's end when the women realize that they are all headed toward a "dead end," one way or another, and decide they will testify against Vanning, because they no longer have anything left to lose.

As a side note, Methot became Mrs. Humphrey Bogart in 1938, with the marriage ending in the mid '40s, after which he married Lauren Bacall. Bogart is good in this, if not yet exhibiting his full range of star power.

MARKED WOMAN was directed by Lloyd Bacon and the uncredited Michael Curtiz. It was filmed in black and white by George Barnes. The screenplay was written by Robert Rossen and Abem Finkel, with added dialogue by Seton I. Miller.

The sharp Warner Archive Blu-ray print is absolutely great. This is the kind of film we'd watch on TV as kids with scratches, riddled with commercials, and now it looks spectacular; this raises enjoyment of the film to an even higher level. The print is from a new HD master from a 4K scan of the original nitrate camera negative. Sound quality is strong.

Extras consist of the featurette RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES, which was carried over from the DVD release of two decades ago, plus the trailer and the cartoons PORKY'S HERO AGENCY (1937) and SHE WAS AN ACROBAT'S DAUGHTER (1937).

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

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Tonight's Movie: Angel and the Badman (2026)

As longtime readers may be aware, the original version of ANGEL AND THE BADMAN (1947) is not just my favorite John Wayne film, it's high on my list of all-time favorite movies.

Wayne played gunslinger Quirt Evans, reformed by the love of a Quaker girl, Penny Worth (Gail Russell). Wayne's longtime friend Bruce Cabot played the villain, Laredo Stevens, with Harry Carey Sr. as Marshal McClintock and Lee Dixon as Quirt's friend Randy.

In 2009 a TV remake aired on the Hallmark Channel which costarred Lou Diamond Phillips and Luke Perry in the lead roles of Quirt and Laredo; John Wayne's grandson Brendan Wayne (THE MANDALORIAN) played Randy. I've yet to see this version.

I was surprised when I recently learned of a new theatrical remake of ANGEL AND THE BADMAN (2026) with a cast including Zachary Levi (SHE LOVES ME, SHAZAM) as Quirt and Tommy Lee Jones as Marshal McClintock.

My initial impulse was to simply ignore the new film, but eventually curiosity got the better of me, especially as I enjoy both lead actors; I decided that if nothing else it would be interesting to see it for purposes of a review.

I'm glad to say that, rather to my surprise, I enjoyed it quite well. Westerns are fairly rare these days, and this was nicely done, with good performances. I particularly liked Levi as the titular badman.

The screenplay was by Kevin Townsend, Christopher Tuffin and Jaime Hernandez, based on the 1947 original screenplay by James Edward Grant. As I'll discuss below, some scenes are lifted straight out of the original film, while it goes its own way in other regards.  

Most notably the implied and/or threatened violence in this version is more disturbing, though the film is laudably careful not to actually show anything overly graphic; this is a welcome policy of the film's distributor, Angel Studios.

As the film begins, Quirt Evans (Levi), carrying ill-gotten gold pieces, is on the run from the law in the form of Marshal McLintock (Jones).

Though shot, Quirt escapes arrest and manages to ride onto the Worth family's ranch, where he collapses.

Quirt is nursed by to health by Penny (Meg Fraser), her mother Irene (Jean Louisa Kelly), grandmother (Melissa Chambers), and little brother (Barrett Klepac). The Worths are Christians who believe helping a stranger in need is the right thing to do.

I'll insert that there were some differences from the original movie right off the bat, deleting the father character from the 1947 version and inserting a grandmother instead. Another change is that the Worths are Christians but not Quakers, which impacts the evolution of the story in the new version.

Also, I don't believe Mrs. Worth had a first name in the original film, so I think it's logical to assume that giving her the name Irene this time around was a tribute to the original actress, Irene Rich.

Continuing on regarding the plot, once he's recovered Quirt plans on leaving the Worth ranch, yet finds himself a bit reluctant to actually do so. When he intervenes with the Worths' neighbor Frederick Carson (John Pyper-Ferguson) and induces him to stop damming up water, the local community shows Quirt their appreciation by presenting him with a Bible.

Quirt feels a bit trapped, especially as he's a wanderer yet attracted to pretty Penny, but with his enemy, the violent Laredo (Neil McDonough), threatening the Worths his plans to move on change...and Marshal McClintock is also keeping his eye on Quirt.

Although like many film fans I grumble about remakes, wishing for more original stories, it's ironic I've enjoyed multiple remakes this year, including this one. As stated above, a well-done Western is always welcome. I appreciated that the script followed the broad outline of the original, with some specific scenes aligning very closely, while it's also different enough to feel like an original spin.

The theme of Penny simultaneously taming a wild horse is a bit too on the nose; my only other complaint is that the final sequence, in which Laredo clearly attends to attack Penny, is more troubling than I would have liked. (And for that matter, I didn't need to see Laredo's scars!)

Penny and her family initially deal with Laredo and his gang with prayer and kindness, but as they're not Quakers, violence is on the table too. Ironically this takes away some of the unique Quirt-Penny conflicts from the original film, making it a bit more of a standard Western, although the respectful treatment of Christianity as a normal part of family and community life is welcome.

Levi is both believeable and appealing as Quirt; we see his struggles as a man on a knife edge who has clearly done bad things and could continue on...or not. Fraser's appeal as the forthright, gutsy Penny makes it believable he could change his ways.

Among the supporting cast, Jones is as perfect as Marshal McClintock as one would expect, and his casting is one of the reasons to see the film. McDonough is very effective as the threatening Laredo and makes the stakes very real. It's a long way from McDonough's genial performance as Marvel's Dum Dum Dugan, one of the "Howling Commandos."

ANGEL AND THE BADMAN was directed by Julio Quintana and filmed by Alex Quintana.

Parental Advisory: This film is rated PG-13. Although not graphic, Laredo kills a number of people and intends to do more bad things as the movie comes to a climax. PG-13 seems about right to me, all things considered.

Here is the trailer.

For additional thoughts on this film, please see Rachel's review at Hamlette's Soliloquy.

Coming soon: A review of the latest version of Jane Austen's SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (2026). (Update: Here is that review.)

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Tonight's Movie: The Social Reckoning (2026)

Close to 16 years ago I reviewed THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010), about the founding of Facebook.

I found THE SOCIAL NETWORK absorbing, if unmoving, and I felt much the same when I returned to it for a fresh watch last week. It plays like a nerdy DALLAS, with no one particularly sympathetic.

The impetus for my rewatch of THE SOCIAL NETWORK was the new film THE SOCIAL RECKONING (2026), which revisits Facebook 16 years on.

Like the original film, THE SOCIAL RECKONING was written by Aaron Sorkin; this time around he also directed. The previous film was directed by David Fincher.

I saw THE SOCIAL RECKONING "cold," so I had little idea what the specific subject matter would be, and it was initially hard to get a foothold on where the movie was going due to the nonlinear storytelling.

Gradually the plot sharpens into focus: An unhappy young Facebook employee, Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), doesn't like the way the company's algorithms are driving "extremism," so she eventually leaks information on the issue to a Wall Street Journal reporter, Jeff Horwitz (Jeremy Allen White).

Over time, and in violation of her nondisclosure agreement with her employer, Frances leaks more and more documentation to Horwitz, who writes a series of articles on Facebook's algorithms. 

Simultaneously there are internal debates between Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) and his ex-colleague Charlie (Bill Burr) about censorship, with Zuckerberg an advocate for free speech and Charlie coming down on the side of "fact checking," meaning censoring what's allowed to be published on the site.

Frances ultimately evades legal prosecution by claiming whistleblower status and testifying to Congress, while Horwitz wins a Pulitzer for its columns. And Facebook continues on.

I found this 112-minute film interesting enough to be worth seeing, yet uneven. THE SOCIAL NETWORK also bounded back and forth in time, but in a more coherent fashion. In the case of THE SOCIAL RECKONING, it was unclear where the story was even heading for a good half hour.

The movie's decision to spend most of its time centered on a flatly unlikeable character, Frances, was certainly a choice. Whether or not one agrees with her concerns and/or ethics, Frances is an unhappy young woman; she even comments while watching a basketball game that she's never felt as happy as a player she sees on the TV screen.

Frances is hyperworried, both about Facebook and her response to how the company is run; she repeatedly claims to love her job, but she doesn't demonstrate it. Moreover, there seems to be nothing or no one in her life other than her job worries and her ongoing struggle with celiac disease. 

I'm unfamiliar with Madison's work, though she recently won an Oscar for ANORA (2024), and her flat, uninteresting performance frankly doesn't cause me to have an interest in her future work.

White, on the other hand, has some real snap and vigor in his sympathetic portrayal of the Wall Street Journal reporter; without him the movie would have sunk. I did find his character's snobbery about the need for journalistic credentials annoying, but for the most part the character was engaging, reasonable, and incredibly patient dealing with the annoying Frances.

Strong, like Jesse Eisenberg in the previous film, portrays Facebook's Zuckerberg as seemingly autistic, robotically unable to process normal human cues or express emotion. The portrayal is downright mean, prompting the question as to whether it's fair.  I have no idea, and I'd like to know more.

One of the things I appreciate about Aaron Sorkin's scripts is that even when I don't agree with his -- or his characters' -- points of view, they entertain and drive thoughtful discussion. And as someone firmly in the freedom of speech camp, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of fairly balanced debates between Zuckerberg and his ex-friend on that issue.

That said, some important points were left out, i.e., was/is Facebook simply a "common carrier" platform for others' speech, or did it have the right, or even responsibility, to determine its own facts and silence those points it didn't agree with, sometimes in the name of shutting down "extremism"? 

In the latter case, censorship would turn Facebook into a publisher responsible for everything on its site, placing it in legal peril. These significant issues were ignored and would have helped clarify the issues with both Facebook and potential government intervention.

I was also annoyed by the film's unquestioning acceptance that social media debate over the handling of COVID, and especially vaccinations, was problematic. As someone who was among those injured by the COVID vaccine, I'd suggest the healthiest thing would have been much more extensive debate and free discussion on these issues, and that's all I'll say on that topic.

Among the supporting cast I was entertained by Betty Gilpin as one of Horwitz's superiors at the Wall Street Journal, though in her own way her social interactions were as unhealthy as Zuckerberg's. If the real people portrayed here truly acted as depicted, one has to wonder about the lack of maturity in dealing with others.  Yet these people, at the top of major media and social media companies, are ruling our world?!

One may wonder, after this critique, why I said it was interesting enough to be worth seeing, despite being uneven; it's exactly because the movie caused me to think long and hard about what I was watching, both during and after.

THE SOCIAL RECKONING was filmed by Jeff Cronenweth, who also filmed the earlier movie.

Coming soon: A review of another new film, ANGEL AND THE BADMAN (1947), which loosely remakes a favorite John Wayne title.  (Update: Here is my review of ANGEL AND THE BADMAN.)

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