Movie 27 - "Stalag 17"

Oh Billy Wilder!!  Aren't you just amazing?  Another winner for you today.  I just watched Stalag 17 for the first time and it was awesome!!  William Holden plays Sefton, who is actually fairly unlikeable.  Other key players are Peter Graves as Price, Richard Erdman as Hoffy, Harvey Lembeck as Shapiro, and Robert Strauss as Animal.  There were many others, but we would be here all day.  Just a heads up, Shapiro and Animal are hilarious!  I did not expect to laugh out loud at a POW movie.

In a post Geneva Convention German POW camp, we see the story of a group of American sergeants living in Barrack 4.  Hoffy is Barrack Chief and Price is security.  Even with leaders and systems in place, all Barrack 4's secrets are being leaked somehow.  After two of the men are killed in an escape attempt, suspicion falls on Sefton.  Sefton is a sneaky, schmoozer who is out for himself, trading wares for personal comfort and special treatment from the Germans.  They give Sefton the cold shoulder and even beat him up pretty badly.  A couple lieutenants join the group after they are caught by the Germans.  One of these men, Dunbar, blew up an artillary train and tells his bunkmates about it, thinking he can trust them.  The leak tells the Germans and Dunbar is going to be transferred to Berlin to be tried for sabotage.  The Barrack 4 boys come up with a plan to save Dunbar.  Hoffy is the only one who knows where Dunbar is to be hidden until it is time to escape.  He isn't taking a chance on the leak finding out.  Everyone still thinks it is Sefton, but Sefton has been spending his time figuring out who the real leak is.  Once he does, Sefton sticks to him, blocking his every move.  When the leak offers to help Dunbar escape, Sefton finally speaks up.  He lets everyone know who the leak really is, and that he isn't even an American.  A German spy has been put into their barrack to feed the Germans information.  The boys finally realize Sefton is innocent and Sefton offers to help Dunbar escape.  After the leak becomes a decoy (and gets killed in the process) Sefton and Dunbar make their move and successfully escape Stalag 17. 

This very serious movie is full of funny moments, courtesy of Shapiro and Animal.  These two boys were extremely funny!  From Animal's Betty Grable obessesion to Shapiro's "sharp" ideas, these two playing off each other lighten the mood at the perfect times.  We also see the differences in how the war affected the soldiers.  From Joey, whose law career is stopped when his mind leaves him, to Duke, who is angry and wants to do nothing but fight.  World War II was not just the patriotic, victory for Americans.  Many men were wounded, killed, and traumatized.  Men from every walk of life went off to war, and all came back changed in some way.  Watch this movie.  It is excellent.   

Movie 26 - "Bell, Book, and Candle"

Today's movie is 1958's "Bell, Book, and Candle."  This movie, starring James Stewart and Kim Novak and costarring Elsa Lanchester and Jeck Lemmon, is a hilarious look at witchcraft in 1950's New York.  With Lemmon and Lanchester, it is hard for the movie to be anything but funny.  This is a different type of role for Kim Novac, normally in more dramatic roles.  Jimmy Stewart plays Shep, while Novak plays Gillian.  Lemmon plays Nicky and Lanchester plays Queenie, Gil and Nicky's aunt.

Shep has moved into a new apartment in New York which is in between Gillian and Queenie's apartments.  Gillian has seen Shep and likes the look of him but, as a witch, she does not see a normal future with anyone.  According to an old wives' tale, if a witch falls in love, they lose their power.  Plus, Queenie discovers Shep is engaged to be married.  One night at the local witch hangout, Gil realizes Shep is engaged to an old schoolmate of hers that she cannot stand!  Suddenly, using magic to lure Shep away does not seem like a bad idea.  With the help of Pyewacket, her cat, Gil uses magic to make Shep fall for her.  He doesn't know what hit him and calls off his engagement the very next day!  When a writer and Nicky decide to write a book, exposing the community, Gil uses magic again to stop the book from being published.  Nicky threatens to expose Gil to Shep.  Instead, Gil exposes herself.  She tries to tell Shep the truth, but finds it difficult to convince him.  Later, Shep realizes she was telling the truth and that she had put a spell on him.  He enlists Nicky's help to get the spell broken by a rival witch.  He does and moves out of the apartment, breaking things off with Gil angrily.  After he leaves, Gil realizes she actually loves Shep, when Pyewacket runs away and she is unable to perform a vengeful spell against Shep's ex-fiance.  The wives' tale is true.  She has lost all her power.  Shep has no clue until Queenie sends Pyewacket to visit him and he returns it to Gil, thinking the cat still belongs to her.  Once there, Shep realizes Gil has lost her powers and gets her to admit why.  Shep realizes he loves Gil even without the spell. 

I enjoy this movie very much.  Jimmy Stewart  is funny in this.  He begins as a bit of an uptight blah guy.  But he lightens up a bit as the movie evolves and his reactions to the magic are hilarious.  Jack Lemmon and Elsa Lanchester are some of the funniest actors.  Lemmon's physical comedy and facial expressions are one-of -a-kind.  Lanchester's voice alone serves her well as a witch.  As for Novak, I will be honest.  I have only seen two other of her movies, Picnic and Vertigo.  Both were dramatic roles, but I think I prefer her in this type of role.  And as a little sidenote, her clothes...amazing!!  Jean Louis, the costume designer, obviously knew what he was doing.

Movie 25 - "Sherlock Holmes: House of Fear"

Sherlock Holmes has been played by many actors, but my favorite is Basil Rathbone as the London sleuth!  Tonight's 1945 movie is one of my favorite of the fourteen (I think) Holmes movies Rathbone made with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson.  Dennis Hoey rounds out the group as the slow-on-the-uptake Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard.  This film was directed by Roy William Neill.  The only of the supporting actors I am going to list here is Aubrey Mather, who played Bruce Alastair.  He is hilariously unable to notice anything bad in any person or situation.  I think this may have something to do with the white powder he kept sniffing unapologetically throughout the whole movie.  And so we begin our story in Scotland.

This is the story of a group of acquaintances known as the "Good Comrades".  They are a group of older gentlemen who just happen to be worth more dead than alive thanks to their insurance policies.  They have moved to Scotland together to live in the old estate of member Bruce Alastair away from publicity and city life.  At dinner one night, the maid (who is a cold, monotone woman) brings in an envelope for one of the Good Comrades.  When opened, the envelope contained only orange pips (seeds for the Yanks).  The gentlemen saw the orange pips as a joke and went about their business.  The next day, that gentleman's car went off the side of a cliff and he was killed.  Next, another member received an envelope containing one less orange pip.  The group was much less amused now.  Shortly after, that Good Comrade met death.  After this, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were asked to investigate by the insurance firm who would have to pay out on the deaths.  After finding out that the beneficiaries were the remaining Good Comrades, Holmes feels there is a case.  Orange pips continue to arrive for the group, even after Holmes arrives at the mansion.  With these, Good Comrades continue to die.  As Dr. Watson suspects each member in turn, Holmes seems to have an idea from the get go.  Inspector Lestrade arrives as official "law enforcement."  Although Lestrade remains pretty much clueless in all aspects of life, including detective work.  He is funny!  When the action hits, Watson is kidnapped, Alastair is detained as the murderer and only surviving Comrade, and Lestrade is ...well...clueless.  But never fear!  Holmes to the rescue.  He finds a secret passage that leads to...  Well that would just ruin it for you.  :)

I really do love these Sherlock Holmes movies.  I have a bunch of them.  I can watch them repeatedly and still love them.  The rest of you Sherlock Holmes can try, but Basil is the the best!!!   

Movie 24 - "The African Queen"

"Anything you can do, I can do better!  I can do anything better than you!"  That song pops into my head every time I watch this movie and see Katharine Hepburn play the heroine, Rosie and Humphrey Bogart play the scruffy, gin-drinking riverboat captain, Charlie.  This 1951 John Huston movie is a whole bunch of great!  For a large part of the movie, these two are the only characters, other than "The African Queen", which is Charlie's boat and the river.  And we don't need anything else.  There is humor, adventure, danger, romance, good versus evil, conspiracy...all in about an hour and forty-five minutes.

During World War I, Rose Sayer is a missionary in Africa with her reverend brother until his death after a German attack on their village.  Left alone after his death, Rose gets assistance from Charlie Allnut, a river boat captain.  He buries Rose's brother and takes her on his boat until they come up with a plan.  Rose has a plan of her own formulating.  Rose wants to attack back at the Germans by destroying their main ship.  In order to do that, Rose and Charlie would have to navigate the dangerous river, with white water, German posts, wild animals, and each other...the most dangerous of all.  These two are like night and day...Charlie, drunk and gruff...Rose, God-fearing and prim.  They bicker beautifully!  At one point, after Charlie has offended Rose, she dumps out every drop of his gin.  Charlie does not want to carry out this plan, but he continues on at Rose's urging and guilt-tripping.  They make it through some difficult and exciting action, only to fall in love after their near-death experience.  Charlie shaves, Rose begins making tea and breakfast, and they each use "dear" and "sweetheart" liberally.  Once stuck in mud and reeds, the future looks bleak for the pair, until a thunderstorm frees them from their trap and puts them in perfect position to fulfill their goal.  The German ship is near.  Unfortunately, the African Queen wrecks and the two are captured and sentenced to death by hanging aboard the very ship they were trying to sink.  While in nooses, the two ask for a last request, for the ship captain to marry them.  After marriage and as the hanging ensues, the ship hits what is left of the African Queen and begins to explode!  As black smoke and fire fill the ship, Rose and Charlie make their getaway.  And the two live happily ever after!  Well...Charlie and Rosie happily ever after.

I love this movie.  The pairing of Bogey and Kate is perfection.  They are both strong, quirky, and hilarious!  And look out "Stand By Me!"  This is the original "make you cringe" leech scene.  Ewwwww!!!  It makes my stomach turn.  And the acting!  Kate Hepburn got dysentery because she only drank water instead of drinking scotch with Bogey and Huston.  The two boys were fine, thanks to their alcohol consumption.  Isn't that some stuff?!  The only time when drinking could have kept you healthier.    This movie shoot is also when Hepburn and Bacall, Bogey's wife, became buds.  Bacall had gone along for the fun of it.  The two were good friends after.  Everyone should see this movie at least once.  Watch it!

Movie 23 - "Sunset Boulevard"

This movie!  It is strange, depressing, and good.  Another Billy Wilder picture, this film is dark, a film noir classic.  However it is not your usual noir.  William Holden, Gloria Swanson, and Erich von Stroheim are the major characters.  Holden plays Joe Gillis, Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond, and von Stroheim plays Max. 

Joe is a poor screenwriter in Hollywood trying to avoid debt collectors.  While trying to outrun repo men, Joe gets a blowout and pulls into the nearest driveway.  He chose the wrong house.  In the dilapidated old mansion, former silent movie star, Norma Desmond, lives with her servant Max.  Norma has never gotten over not being famous anymore and treats everyone as servants, including Joe.  After mistaking Joe for a mortician, she coerces him into editing a screenplay she wrote.  Joe, needing money badly, agrees.  Norma talks Joe into staying there.  At first he is just an employee, working on the screenplay.  Then Norma begins trying to entertain Joe and buy him clothes.  This business arrangement begins to take a different turn when Norma admits her love for Joe.  Joe tells her he is wrong for her and leaves.  Norma attempts suicide.  This brings Joe back in.  Norma and Joe finish the screenplay and it goes to director, Cecil B. DeMille.  While waiting for a response, Joe begins working on another screenplay secretly with an acquaintance, who is a girl.  It is discovered that DeMille is not interested in the screenplay, but does not want to hurt Norma's feelings.  It is also discovered that Max has been cushioning Norma's life, writing her fake fan mail and trying to deter Joe's friends getting a hold of him.  He is actually her first husband and living as her devoted servant...creepy!!!!  When Norma figures out that Joe has been seeing this lady and writing, she goes a bit loony, more than she already was.  Joe blurts out the truth about the screenplay, DeMille, and Max.  He explains that no one wants her now.  Then as he tries to leave, he is shot and falls into the pool, dead.  The end scene shows Norma getting to be in front of the cameras again, completely delusional, with the police waiting for her. 

This is a story of a lonely woman who has passed her prime and has devolved into a world of complete fiction.  The down and out guy ends up taking the fall for her insanity.  This movie has been awarded many times and is listed on the 100 best movies of all time list.  Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman spoofed Norma and Max on "The Carol Burnett Show" and is one of their most famous skits.  Hilarious!!  Billy Wilder did a great job making this movie creepy.  Watch it!

Movie 22 - "An Affair to Remember"

Alright...tissues to the lightweights!  This movie doesn't make me cry, but not many do.  However, lots of people seem to cry at the thought of this dramatic romance directed by Leo McCarey in 1957.  This was the second time Mr. McCarey made this story into a film, the first being "Love Affair" in 1939 starring Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer in the main roles.  The film did not do as well as he had hoped, so the director remade the film in 1957 with Cary Grant as Nicky and Deborah Kerr as Terry, knowing that the story was a good one.  This time, all the pieces fell into the perfect places.  Lesson for any director: you want your movie to do well, get Cary Grant!  Ha!  Anyway...Grant and Kerr are joined in this by Richard Denning as Ken, Neva Patterson as Lois, and Cathleen Nesbitt as Janou.

In this film, Nicky is a well known playboy, who is sailing to finally tie the knot with Lois, who also happens to be an heiress.  Terry is a lounge singer, who is sailing while her fiance finishes up a big business deal before they get married.  Her fiance is Ken, a wealthy businessman who takes care of Terry financially.  The common them, both characters are marrying people who can support them financially.  Nicky and Terry meet on the ship.  While chemistry is obvious, the pair keeps things cordial at first, due to their relationship situations.  Very quickly, the two find they feel much more than friendship for each other.  People on the ship take notice, but the couple does their best to keep under cover.  After spending the trip together, the two decide they have to be together.  Unfortunately, neither has much money and they have to break off engagements.  A plan is made...to meet in six months at the top of the Empire State Building and get married.  When they are getting off the boat, a funny scene of them reuniting with their significant others in front of each other gives some comic relief.  Rather quickly they both end their relationships and get to work, trying to earn some money.  Finally, the day comes.  They are to meet.  Terry gets out of her cab at the Empire State Building and tragedy strikes (bad choice of words).  She gets hit by another car and is rushed to the hospital where she finds she cannot walk.  Meanwhile, poor Nicky is up at the top of this building, waiting, and thinking only that she changed her mind and didn't want him after all.  Terry refuses to tell Nicky about the accident unless she walks again.  Ken returns as a faithful friend and helps Terry.  During a long period of recovery, Terry gets a job teaching music to children and Nicky paints to make ends meat.  After a while, the two meet again at the theater.  Nicky leaves not knowing about Terry and both thinking they are happy elsewhere.  One word...awkward!  On Christmas, Nicky is about to sail but decides to see Terry first.  He wants to give her a gift from Janou, his grandmother whom Terry met on the cruise.  He also wants to lay into her a little for not showing up...get answers.  In the final scene, Nicky finally connects the dots and realizes what has happened.  The two embrace, cry, and, it can only be assumed, live happily ever after. 

This movie was the classic "chick flick".  It even made a resurgence in the mid 1990's when it was referenced in "Sleepless in Seattle".  "An Affair to Remember" became new again and was introduced to a whole new generation.  The story was also somewhat remade again in a 1994 updated film starring Warren Beatty and Annette Benning called, what else, "Love Affair".  Of all the versions, though, I think this one stands the test of time and will be remembered most.  Like I said, Cary Grant!   

Movie 21 - "12 Angry Men"

Director Sidney Lumet turned a stage play into an Oscar nominated movie in 1957.  The kicker...the whole thing takes place in a jury room.  The characters are known only as juror #1, #2, etc.  Henry Fonda plays juror #8, the main juror.  In this film, an 18 year old Latino boy is accused of stabbing his father.  When the jurors first enter the room, it seems like an open and shut case of guilty.  But juror #8 does not think the decision should be so hasty.  He angers the other jurors at first, who think he is just causing trouble, and they want to go home.  He makes an argument against one piece of evidence.  It stirs some uncomfortable feelings in one or two jurors, but the rest stand strong.  Then another juror finds a flaw, and another juror turns.  Over the course of this film, what really comes to light, is not the evidence, but the jurors own personalities and ideals.  Instead of being objective and looking for reasonable doubt, they are acting out of emotions.  There are racial prejudices, family issues, age differences, socio-economic differences, various temperaments.  All these factors play a part in the way the jurors vote, and what changes their minds.  Slowly all the jurors begin to change their minds, until there is only one man left voting guilty.  The tables have turned completely.  It goes from guilty to not guilty in a matter of hours.  But these hours are tense, emotional, angry.  Imagine being locked in a tiny, hot room with strangers, arguing over another person's life.  This boy will go to the electric chair unless all twelve agree not guilty. 

This is a wonderful movie.  It is gripping.  There are extremely uncomfortable scenes, where you feel the characters' feelings.  Like the scene where juror number 10 makes his racist speech and the whole room turns from him, disgusted, and embarrassed for him.  He never utters another word in the film after.  Or when juror number 9, the older man, describes why the old witness may have lied or been mistaken.  You feel that the older juror understands because he is just like the witness.  You feel saddened that someone who has lived so long could feel so unimportant or non-existent.  This movie did not win the Oscars it was nominated for, losing to "Bridge on the River Kwai".  I love "The Bridge...", don't get me wrong.  But the fact that "Twelve Angry Men" was so good, filmed in just 21 days, in a little room, with little budget, makes it amazing.  Watch it!