Tonight's Movie: Random Harvest (1942) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

I have very fond memories of reading the novel RANDOM HARVEST, by James Hilton, when I was in high school.

Years later I owned the 1942 movie on VHS. I fondly recall the film, yet I had not seen it for many years before watching it this weekend thanks to the new Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

I'm glad to say, now having revisited it, that RANDOM HARVEST is just as good as my memories of it. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, it's MGM '40s moviemaking at its very best.

The plot is rather difficult to describe, yet it all makes sense when watching. Paula (Greer Garson), a touring music hall performer, comes to the rescue of an amnesiac (Ronald Colman) who has left the local smalltown asylum. The man she comes to call "Smithy" lost his memory during his service in World War I.

Eventually Smithy regains his health, though not his memory, and he and Paula fall in love and marry, despite not knowing anything about his past. They have a baby son, but when Smithy goes to Liverpool to discuss a writing job, he's hit by a taxi, and when he comes to, he's wealthy Charles Rainier, without a clue where he's been for the past few years or why he's in Liverpool.  But there's a mysterious key in his pocket...

Charles goes home to his family's estate and begins running the family business. Eventually it's revealed that his secretary, Margaret Hanson, is Paula. (Paula was Margaret's stage name.) After her husband went missing and her baby boy died, Margaret/Paula chanced to see Charles's photo in a publication and obtained the job as his secretary.

Kitty Chilcet (Susan Peters), a young girl who's a relative's stepdaughter, loves Charles for many years and he eventually proposes, but when they're planning their wedding she suddenly intuitively realizes he's in love with someone else and breaks off the engagement.

There's still much plot to go in the film's 127 minutes, but I'll leave it there, using the above to hopefully whet viewers' appetites and curiosity to see what happens next. There's more, a lot more...and it's all great stuff.

I recall reading years ago that RANDOM HARVEST starred the two most beautiful voices in Hollywood, and I don't know that I'd disagree. Both Colman and Garson offer beautiful performances and completely sell a story which in other hands might seem absurd. They have wonderful chemistry, and this film is some of their best work.

It's interesting that James Hilton stories were significant in the careers of both Garson and Colman. Garson's big Hollywood break came in Hilton's GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (1939), and one of Colman's very best films was Frank Capra's filming of Hilton's LOST HORIZON (1937).

Colman was nominated for Best Actor for RANDOM HARVEST, with Peters nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Garson wasn't nominated, but ironically she was the one of the three who took home the Academy Award that year -- for MRS. MINIVER (1942).

Peters, who lost to Teresa Wright of MRS. MINIVER, does an excellent job, conveying Kitty's growth from a happy-go-lucky young girl to a more mature woman whose love for Charles deepens with each passing year. 

The wordless moments where Kitty watches Charles in the church and suddenly realizes their relationship isn't going to work out is really well done, as a series of expressions cross her face, ultimately showing a devastated woman.

RANDOM HARVEST features a fine cast including Reginald Owen, Henry Travers, Rhys Williams, Aubrey Mather, Margaret Wycherly, Alan Napier, and Melville Cooper, to name just a few. Philip Dorn, who also starred that year in REUNION IN FRANCE (1942), plays "Smithy's" doctor, who falls himself for Margaret/Paula.

The movie was directed by Mervyn LeRoy and filmed in black and white by Joseph Ruttenberg.

Although nominated for seven Oscars, also including Picture and Director, it didn't win any; however, if one looks at the other nominees, competition was pretty incredible that year; for instance, solely looking at the competition for Peters and Wright, the other nominees were Agnes Moorehead in THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942), Gladys Cooper for NOW, VOYAGER (1942), and Dame May Whitty for MRS. MINIVER. The cliched saying "It's an honor just to be nominated" was never more true.

The Blu-ray print and sound quality are both superb. This is a truly outstanding release.

Extras include the 22-minute Crime Does Not Pay short DON'T TALK (1942) with an interesting cast including Donald Douglas, Barry Nelson, James Millican, Arthur Space, and James Warren, directed by Joseph M. Newman; the Pete Smith Specialty MARINES IN THE MAKING (1942); the trailer; and a January 1944 Lux Radio Theater broadcast of RANDOM HARVEST starring Garson, Colman, and Joan Lorring.

Both the disc and the film are highly recommended.

Related posts: A Visit to Santa Barbara Cemetery (Ronald Colman); A Visit to the Forest Lawn Museum (Susan Peters).

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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Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...A few weeks ago my husband had a chance meeting at his gym, spurred by a t-shirt he was wearing, which rather unbelievably has now led to a key prop from THE SEARCHERS (1956) being delivered to the Museum of Western History in Lone Pine. He tells the story on Instagram.

...A fun side note to my husband's tale is that he purchased the shirt which kicked off the conversation from the Bridgeport Fire Department, which is located on the exact same corner as Jeff Bailey's gas station in OUT OF THE PAST (1947). That makes a good segue to a link for Glenn Erickson's review of the Warner Archive Collection's 4K release of OUT OF THE PAST (1947).

...Over at Jeff Arnold's West, blog hosts Bud and RR have a new post up: Western Songbirds, Part 1.

...Jaclyn Smith has written I ONCE KNEW A GUY NAMED CHARLIE: A MEMOIR, just published by Simon & Schuster's Gallery Books.

...Colin has a new post up at Riding the High Country, on CORNERED (1945) starring Dick Powell.

...Last November I mentioned a possible sequel to THE FAMILY STONE (2005). It's been announced that most of the cast will return for a story set 20 years after the original film.

...Coming for fall cookbook season: THE NEW COOKIE officially publishes in October but is available now on the America's Test Kitchen site.

...Jessica has reviewed ROCK, PRETTY BABY (1956) at Comet Over Hollywood.  I enjoyed that one last year.

...Attention Southern Californians: On September 28th the New Beverly Cinema will show an Audie Murphy-Dan Duryea double bill consisting of RIDE CLEAR OF DIABLO (1954) and SIX BLACK HORSES (1962).

...Notable Passing: Actress Nina Shipman has passed on at 88. She mostly worked in TV, with some film roles including THE OREGON TRAIL (1959) with Fred MacMurray.

...Please note that Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear for the next two weekends. I anticipate the column will return on October 3rd and then be off another two weekends before resuming at a normal weekly pace on October 24th. It's going to be a busy and enjoyable fall!

...I've prescheduled some posts for the time I'll be offline, so please check back periodically for new content.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my September 5th column.

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Tonight's Movie: First Love (1939) - A Universal Blu-ray Review

One of my favorite Deanna Durbin films, FIRST LOVE (1939), is now available on Blu-ray from Universal.

FIRST LOVE is a delightful retelling of the Cinderella story. Orphaned Connie (Durbin) graduates from boarding school and goes to live with wealthy relatives.

Most of the family ignores her, and her cousin Barbara (Helen Parrish) is downright mean.

The servants, however, take Connie under their wing and arrange for her to attend a ball, where she dances with wealthy, handsome Ted Drake (Robert Stack, in his film debut).

There are many familiar fairy tale moments in this 84-minute delight, including a slipper lost at midnight. It's an inventive, charming film which is part fantasy, part screwball comedy, and part romance, all wrapped up in a Deanna Durbin musical.

Lovely Deanna of course sings several songs, including a Puccini aria. As always, she has a fresh, likeable persona; she was a natural on the big screen. She was transitioning into adult roles in FIRST LOVE, with Stack giving her her first onscreen kiss.

The wonderful supporting cast is headed by Eugene Pallette as her perpetually exasperated uncle, who proves to have a soft side. Leatrice Joy is her aunt, and Thurston Hall plays Stack's father.

The servants and their friends who help Connie -- rather presaging the mice and birds in Disney's CINDERELLA (1950) -- include Mary Treen, Frank Jenks, and Charles Coleman.

I'm fond of Helen Parrish (seen with Deanna in the bottom photo); she's not a nice girl in this, but she's always fun to watch! Marcia Mae Jones (seen here) and Peggy Moran are among Connie's schoolfriends. Moran would marry the film's director, Henry Koster, in 1942, a marriage which lasted until his passing in 1988.

The cinematography was by Joseph Valentine. The gowns seen in the movie were designed by Vera West.

The FIRST LOVE Blu-ray is for the most part a fine print with excellent sound; there are spots where it's ever-so-slightly faded or has minor damage, but on the whole it looks very good, with a sharp black and white picture. Absent a restoration, this is probably as good as the film will ever look for home viewing, and I'm delighted to have this film on Blu-ray. I'm certain to go back to it many times in the years to come.

As is the case with most Universal Pictures Blu-rays, there are no extras. Optional English-language captions are included.

For those who might have missed the news, earlier this year Universal also released Durbin's THREE SMART GIRLS (1936), which I reviewed in June.

I'll be reviewing another Durbin film, I'LL BE YOURS (1947), in the near future. It's one of only three Durbin films I've never before seen!

FIRST LOVE is highly recommended.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Universal for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. It may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Tonight's Movie: All Through the Night (1942) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

It's hard to believe it's been seven years since I first saw ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (1942) thanks to the recommendation of the late Michael Schlesinger.

Schlesinger hosted the movie at the 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival, and while it didn't fit my schedule then, I heard good "buzz" about it and watched it at home a couple months later.

I enjoyed returning to this unusual film thanks to the brand-new Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT tells the tale of a collection of genial Runyonesque gangsters, headed by "Gloves" Donahue (Humphrey Bogart), attempting to solve a murder when the baker (Ludwig Stossel) who makes Gloves' favorite cheesecake is bumped off.

A young woman named Leda (Kaaren Verne) acts suspiciously when she visits the bakery, and she's ultimately tracked to a nightclub owned by Marty (Barton MacLane) and Joe (Edward Brophy).

Leda sings at the nightclub, and when her pianist, Pepi (Peter Lorre), shoots Joe, Gloves is framed for the murder.

Gloves ends up at an auction house run by Nazi sympathizers (Conrad Veidt and Judith Anderson). Gloves and his pals Sunshine (William Demarest) and Barney (Frank McHugh) then end up chasing Nazis -- or being chased by them -- "all through the night."

ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT was written by Leonard Spigelgass and Edwin Gilbert from a story by Spigelgass and Leonard Q. Ross. It was filmed in the summer and fall of 1941, before Pearl Harbor, and released early in January 1942.

One wonders if it would have been quite so lighthearted if it had been made just a bit later, but along with the goofiness, the movie is always very clear about Nazi evil.

It's generally quite an enjoyable film, though as I noted at the time of my first watch, the plot could have been condensed a bit to erase a few minutes from the film's 107-minute running time. Things get a wee bit repetitive, but that's really my only complaint.

The premise, with a bunch of shady characters taking on crime and the Nazis, is inspired; indeed, the ending, with Gloves' mother (Jane Darwell) telling him about the disappearance of the milkman, almost seems to set up a potential series. That said, if that scene wasn't simply a joke, a series was not to be.

Bogart is quite fun striking a lighthearted-yet-determined note as Gloves. Don't get between that man and his favorite cheesecake! And when he learns Nazis are infiltrating the U.S.A., he's not having it.

As with so many Warner Bros. films of this era, one of the very best things about the movie is simply the cast. You just won't find great "faces" like this in a modern movie!

In addition to the actors named above, the cast includes Phil Silvers, Jackie Gleason, Wallace Ford, Sam McDaniel, George Meeker, Emory Parnell, Martin Kosleck, and Frank Sully. William Hopper (PERRY MASON) can even be spotted as a reporter.

The Warner Archive print is from a new 1080p HD master from 4K scans of the original nitrate camera negative. The movie's sleek black and white, photographed by Sid Hickox, is absolutely beautiful. Sound quality is also excellent.

Disc extras consist of an archival commentary track by Eric Lax and director Vincent Sherman; the Joe McDoakes short SO YOU WANT TO QUIT SMOKING (1942); the cartoon LIGHTS FANTASTIC (1942); a newsreel; the trailer; and the 23-minute featurette CALL THE USUAL SUSPECTS: THE CRAFT OF THE CHARACTER ACTOR (2006).

Optional English-language captions are provided.

For more on this film, please visit my 2019 review.

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: Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER (1951) has been on my "to watch" list for quite a long time.

It was part of the 2007 Literary Classics DVD collection, but while I own it and have seen some of the movies from that set, I still hadn't caught up with CAPTAIN HORATIO HORNBLOWER.

I'm glad to say I have finally seen it at long last, thanks to a wonderful new Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection. Reviewing this disc was just the push I needed to make room for it in my viewing, and it proved worth the wait.

Gregory Peck plays the title role, captaining the HMS Lydia during the Napoleonic Wars.

As the story begins, the Lydia is on a secret mission to Central America to arm rebels against Britain's enemy Spain. Things become extremely complicated when news arrives that Spain has changed its alliance from France to Britain.

Later Hornblower will command another ship, the Sutherland, in battles along the French coast...and in the middle of all this, he falls in love with beautiful Lady Barbara Wellesley (Virginia Mayo).

Hornblower and Lady Barbara meet when he's forced to accept her as a passenger on the Lydia, but eventually he is forced to tell Barbara he is already married...

It's a detailed, story-packed plot, so I've outlined it in only the barest terms here. The various twists and turns of both war and romance are probably best experienced the first time via the film, rather than this review.

Suffice it to say that the movie is very well done, engrossing the viewer for all of its 117 minutes.

The direction, simultaneously energetic and elegant, was by Raoul Walsh, with Technicolor filming -- including at various European locations -- by British cinematographer Guy Green. The Rozsa-esque score was by Canadian composer Robert Farnon.

The cast is also filled with fine British actors including Stanley Baker (HELL DRIVERS), Robert Beatty, and James Robertson Justice; I saw the latter two actors in OUT OF THE CLOUDS (1955) in July.

I can take or leave Gregory Peck, enjoying him more in his less stodgy roles, such as ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953). That said, I thought he was very good in this; Hornblower is not a man given to excessive displays of emotion so it was a part which worked well for Peck.

Neither Peck nor Mayo attempt British accents, but I think most classic film fans are used to mid-Atlantic or American accents mingling amidst British accents in this type of film; consequently it wasn't an issue I gave much thought.

Mayo had worked with director Walsh on WHITE HEAT (1949) and COLORADO TERRITORY (1949) and excelled in both. She's equally good here as Barbara, who is simultaneously ladylike and spunky, and I think she helps to draw more emotion out of Peck.

The beautiful Warner Archive Blu-ray print is from a 1080P HD master from 4K scans of original nitrate Technicolor negatives.  It's absolutely lovely, as we've come to expect from the Warner Archive Collection.

Extras consist of the trailer; the Bugs Bunny cartoon CAPTAIN HAREBLOWER (1954); a 19-minute Technicolor short, MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE (1950); and the January 1952 Lux Radio Theater production of the story, also starring Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo.

All in all, this is a well-done seafaring swashbuckler, presented in an outstanding print by the Warner Archive Collection.

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: Reunion in Reno (1951) at Cinecon

Yesterday we spent a wonderful day at the Cinecon Classic Film Festival -- where, I'm glad to report, we snagged one of the last open parking spots at the Holiday Inn next door to the Nuart Theatre.

Over the course of the day we saw half a dozen movies, one 10-minute Vitaphone short, and three Technicolor shorts from Paramount. It was quite a full day!

I wasn't particularly enthused with the first film, MY LADY'S LIPS (1925). (What a title!) It was a silent melodrama starring William Powell, Alyce Mills, and Clara Bow. At 70 minutes it ran too long, especially when the characters were given what the narrative card termed THE THIRD DEGREE (in all caps!) by the police. It was just too dark for me to fully enjoy. James P. Hogan directed, filmed by Allen G. Siegler.

The rest of the movies were all interesting in the usual Cinecon kind of way; they weren't great films -- and some of the plots were a bit wild! -- but they were generally all rare, hard-to-see movies which were a lot of fun to see in nice prints on a big screen.

Such was the case with the second film of the day, REUNION IN RENO (1951). This movie was simultaneously weird, cute, and touching. A great cast, performances, and Reno locations clashed with a story which was at times a bit disturbing, though overall I enjoyed it.

Over the years I've been fortunate to see former child actress Gigi Perreau interviewed at least a couple of times, most recently by Dana Delaney at a TCM Classic Film Festival screening of THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW (1956). Delaney's back is to my camera in this photo with Perreau, taken by me last May.

In REUNION IN RENO Gigi plays Maggie, a little girl who travels from Emeryville, California, to Reno, Nevada. She promptly visits a family law attorney; to his shock, she wants him to represent her in a divorce from her parents.

The lawyer she meets is Norman Drake (Mark Stevens), and fortunately he's a nice guy, as is his sometime sweetheart, court reporter Laura Carson (Peggy Dow).

Laura thinks they should notify the police but Norman wants to attempt to contact Maggie's parents and resolve things informally if possible.

It takes a while for Norman to figure out who Maggie's parents are, but when they learn their little girl didn't take the train to summer camp as they had thought, they're shocked and immediately drive to Reno to retrieve her. Reno, I'll add, is over 200 miles from Emeryville, so they make a long trek in a short time frame.

Eventually Norman arranges for a court hearing in front of a kindly judge (Ray Collins) to help clear the air and put things right between Maggie and her parents.

The story is simply odd, no two ways about it, particularly in the way such a very young girl confidently maneuvers herself to the law firm, hitching a free ride in a taxi and following a prospective divorcee (Myrna Dell) into an office building.

While eventually her good upbringing overcomes her flaws, along the way Maggie is both a manipulator and a liar, and it takes a very long time for her uber-confident facade to crack and her underlying emotions to finally show.

Maggie's parents, Doris and B. Frederick, are played by Frances Dee and Leif Erickson. The movie cleverly hides its cards initially over what the parents are truly like; Doris is wan and seems a bit timid, and her husband is blustery. Are they uncaring or mean parents?

Gradually we learn Doris isn't really timid at all and there's a reason she seems frail, and moreover she has a loving husband who also clearly loves his daughter.

Some readers will be aware that I'm a big fan of Frances Dee, and I loved seeing her in this part; she's especially good in the courtroom sequence.

This was the only one of the charming Peggy Dow's nine films I hadn't seen yet, and I was delighted to catch up with it for that reason as well. I enjoyed seeing her as a professional woman who runs her own business while also loving homemaking. I'll add that I also enjoyed "looking around" both her beautiful little home and office; the film has very nice set design.

Stevens and Erickson (HIGH CHAPARRAL) also do well, and I liked Fay Baker (THE HOUSE ON TELEGRAPH HILL) as Norman's secretary.

Again, it's just an oddball story, but thanks to the congenial cast the movie's 79 minutes pass fairly quickly.  The film was written by Hans Jacoby and Shirley White, based on a Lou Breslow adaptation of a story by Brenda Weisberg and William Sackheim.

REUNION IN RENO was directed by Kurt Neumann and filmed in black and white by Maury Gertsman

This Universal Pictures film is only available in unauthorized "grey market" prints of dubious quality. Universal provided a lovely new print for the festival, so it was very exciting seeing it looking and sounding so great.

Let's hope for a future DVD or Blu-ray release.

Following up on parking concerns expressed in my Cinecon preview, while the next-door parking worked out for us as hoped, the area frankly isn't great and I would not be comfortable purchasing a full fest pass and attending some days alone without advance guaranteed parking at the hotel, which doesn't seem likely. I wouldn't be comfortable walking down the street to a parking lot, especially at night.  If the festival returns to the Nuart, I may again be limited to only going when my husband can accompany me.

The theater itself was clean, had comfortable seats and wide aisles, so from that standpoint it was a good venue. We'll see what the future holds in terms of the announced plans to hold Cinecon 63 next year.

I hope to review a couple more of the films seen yesterday in the coming days.

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Tonight's Movie: Coyote vs. Acme (2026)

As many of my readers will be aware, COYOTE VS. ACME (2026) has had a long road to its theatrical release.

Despite good advance industry "buzz," the movie was shelved as a $30 million tax writeoff by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023.

In 2025 Ketchup Entertainment bought the movie from WBD, and it was finally released theatrically late last month.

Now that the movie is available, I had to go check it out, and I'm glad to say that for the most part I found it amusing and enjoyable.

To set the stage, COYOTE VS. ACME is a live-action/animation hybrid in the style of WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? (1988) or SPACE JAM (1996).

Wile E. Coyote, frustrated by malfunctioning Acme products which always prevent him from catching the Road Runner, hires a law firm to sue Acme.

Attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte) wants to settle with Acme's attorney, Buddy Crane (John Cena), but Wile E. Coyote insists on going to trial.

Trial won't be easy, given how hard it is to subpoena the Road Runner as a witness...and does Wile E. have an ulterior motive wanting his longtime nemesis being required to show up at the trial? One guess.

The plot becomes increasingly convoluted -- including a wild and crazy Senate hearing chaired by Elmer Fudd?! -- but most of it is quite fun.

Between the jokes and famous cartoon characters constantly popping up, it's a movie which requires suprisingly close viewing in order to fully appreciate all of the film's 103 minutes.

You've got to love "in" jokes like Kevin's law firm being named Avery, Jones & Maltese, and the inclusion of a character like "Dr. Lorre"? Perfection.

My one real issue with the movie was the central human actor, Will Forte, who was extremely bland and not a particularly likeable character as the lazy attorney who always prefers to settle.

One of the film's themes is Kevin reforming from being perpetual "loser" to something more, but it just didn't work for me. The writing and performance of the character are the movie's only real flaws, in my opinion.

Fortunately Forte was surrounded by interesting human and animated characters. Lana Condor steals the movie as Kevin's adorable niece who is serving as his intern. She's bright, charming, and sincere in her desire to help Wile E. Coyote.

I also especially enjoyed Martha Kelly as the law firm secretary; her deadpan line deliveries really tickled me. She has very funny bits, such as when the law firm is going under financially and she announces to the attorneys she's made appointments for them to donate plasma. I loved her anticipating that they'll be desperate for cash!

Wile E. Coyote's (restrained) use of signs was hilarious, and I especially enjoyed the finale between Wile E. and the Road Runner, which was not only amusing but even rather touching.

The movie was directed by Dave Green and filmed by Brandon Trost. Samy Burch's script was from a story by Burch, James Gunn and Jeremy Slater, based on a magazine story by Ian Frazier.

Parental Advisory: COYOTE VS. ACME is rated PG.

A trailer is here.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...News has been quite light during the run-up to the holiday weekend, so today's roundup will be shorter than usual!

...VCI Entertainment will be releasing Mary Pickford in THE PRIDE OF THE CLAN (1917) on Blu-ray December 15th.

...Glenn Erickson's latest CineSavant reviews include Humphrey Bogart in ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (1942), now available on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection.

...I've enjoyed multiple film books by David Meuel, including JOAN CRAWFORD IN FILM NOIR and THE NOIR WESTERN. An older book of his I recently came across which looks interesting is WOMEN FILM EDITORS: UNSEEN ARTISTS OF AMERICAN CINEMA. It was published by McFarland.

...Disney's recent live-action remake of MOANA (2026), which I somewhat unexpectedly quite enjoyed, will be released on Blu-ray and DVD October 6, 2026.

...Coming from the Old Mill Press in November: MAGIC HOUR AT DISNEY by Keith Gluck, with photos by Tom Bricker.

...Over at Speakeasy, my friend Kristina discusses one of my favorite films, ARMORED CAR ROBBERY (1950).

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my August 29th column.

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TCM Star of the Month: Ricardo Montalban

The September Star of the Month is Ricardo Montalban.

Over two dozen of Montalban's films will be shown on Monday evenings in September.

In fact, Montalban's first Star of the Month day, on September 7th, will feature a day-long marathon of his films, including a number of MGM musicals featuring Montalban's fine dancing skills.

It's a great September lineup featuring movies from a 35-year span of Montalban's long career, including not only musicals but crime films, Westerns, adventure films, sci-fi, and more.

The entire schedule is below.  Please click any hyperlinked title for a full-length review.

September 7th

THE KISSING BANDIT (1949)

LOVE IS A BALL (1963)

THE SINGING NUN (1966)

FIESTA (1947)

ON AN ISLAND WITH YOU (1948)

NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949)

TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE (1949)

BORDER INCIDENT (1949)

MYSTERY STREET (1950)

BATTLEGROUND (1949)

MY MAN AND I (1952)

RIGHT CROSS (1950)

September 14th

LATIN LOVERS (1953)

MADAME X (1966)

SAYONARA (1947)

THE RELUCTANT SAINT (1962)

SOMBRERO (1953)

September 21st

ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI (1951)

THE MARK OF THE RENEGADE (1951)

THE SARACEN BLADE (1954)

CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964)

September 28th

LET NO MAN WRITE MY EPITAPH (1960)

ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES (1971)

STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982)

SOL MADRID (1968)

THE TRAIN ROBBERS (1973)

For more on TCM in September 2026, please visit my post TCM in September: Highlights along with TCM's online schedule.

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Tonight's Movie: The Love Trap (1929) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

THE LOVE TRAP (1929), directed by the great William Wyler, was recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

THE LOVE TRAP is a cute romantic comedy which is of historical significance as a transitional silent-to-sound film.

Most of the first half or maybe two-thirds of this 71-minute movie is silent, other than some sound effects.

Next thing you know, the characters are speaking, but it's done so smoothly it takes a beat before the viewer realizes it. The dialogue then continues until the last scene of the movie.

The story finds chorus girl Evelyn Todd (Laura La Plante) fired from her show when her klutziness exasperates the choreographer.

Facing eviction, Evelyn goes to ritzy party with her friend Bunny (Jocelyn Lee), who's told Evelyn that wealthy men attend and she could end up making money. 

But innocent Evelyn, confronted with a lecherous man who wants to give her $50 and then maneuvers to get her alone, escapes without the money -- and without most of her clothes. (It's a long story involving a deliberately spilled drink...)

Evelyn arrives at her apartment building only to find that her landlord has put all of her worldly possessions on the sidewalk -- and what's worse, it begins to rain!

Enter Paul Harrington (Neil Hamilton), a wealthy young man who spots Evelyn and her predicament. He insists she take cover in his cab and then enlists other cab drivers to rescue her furniture.

Paul and Evelyn drive for hours, fall in love, and immediately marry. The only problem in the midst of their joy is his snooty family, including his uncle (Norman Trevor), a judge who was coincidentally at the party Evelyn attended. The judge hypocritically thinks less of Evelyn for having been there.

This was a sweet film in which La Plante's Evelyn is put through the proverbial wringer, suffering job loss, lack of funds, loss of her apartment (in the rain!), and having to fend off a man who deliberately spills a drink all over her party dress.

After all that, it's quite a relief when Hamilton's charming Paul shows up and immediately begins to lift away Evelyn's worries. It's a real Cinderella tale; not only is Evelyn relieved, but so is the viewer!

I also appreciated that Paul stands by his bride despite his mother's moaning about poor Paul; perhaps he could have been even stronger, but the overall story was satisfying, especially when the judge "gets his" and we realize that Paul has complete understanding of his bride's trustworthiness and creativity in delivering justice to his uncle.

La Plante and Hamilton have very good chemistry. I'd previously seen La Plante in the silent comedies POKER FACES (1926) and SKINNER'S DRESS SUIT (1929) and she's delightful again in this film. It's of note that the same year THE LOVE TRAP was released, she played Magnolia in the first version of SHOW BOAT (1929).

Like many people, I first knew Neil Hamilton as Comissioner Gordon on TV's BATMAN, so it's been quite a pleasure to discover him as a handsome leading man of silents and pre-Codes. The same year's WHY BE GOOD? (1929) with Colleen Moore is one of my favorite early Hamilton films.

The film's dialogue was by Clarence Thompson from a story by Edward J. Montagne. It was filmed by Gilbert Warrenton.

Kino Lorber's print is a 4K restoration by Universal Pictures from a 35mm nitrate print provided by the William Wyler Estate and the UCLA Film & Television Archive. It looks excellent, especially considering the movie's age.

Disc extras consist of a commentary track by Jason A. Ney plus a gallery for half a dozen additional films availble from Kino Lorber.

My late father had the opportunity to see THE LOVE TRAP a number of years ago and liked it. I regret only now finally catching up with it, wishing we could have enjoyed it together, but on the other hand, what a delight to see it thanks to such a nice Blu-ray release! 

THE LOVE TRAP is an enjoyable film with the added bonus of being of historical importance, not only as a part-silent, part-talkie film but for having been an early film of one of our greatest directors. Recommended.

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

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