Hello, and welcome back! In this post I will be running through the films I had the pleasure of watching during the month of November. Despite some outside life stressors I must say that November was a very good month for film viewing, most of the films I will be listing below were all enjoyable and exceptional… Very few were less than perfect for me. Without further ado, let’s get into it…

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

The first official film to kick off the month was John Ford’s tender snapshot of a working family’s saga in How Green Was My Valley. The film plays out in a relatively episodic manner and it was easy to slip into the simplistic day to day happenings of the Morgan family… Featuring highs and lows that befall the members, ensuring you the viewer become invested in what card life will be dealing them next. Some may view this as an overly sentimental film, but I feel that boiling it down to just that is a bit too cynical. Ford gives focus to the close bonds shared within the Morgan unit, yet he doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities that a mining community of this era would ultimately face. The cast of actors brought together here all do a solid job of weaving together an organic world. I left the film very contented and touched by its varied emotions.

Journey for Margaret (1942)

At the start of November I very much found myself in the mood for more heartwarming films, stories that handled hard moments but left on a note of optimism. This lead to a craving for 40;s films in particular, I feel this decade does that tone exceptionally well. I combed through lists of films I had been unaware of, that brought me to a film like Journey for Margaret. This is a modest wartime flick that highlights the plight of children who were left orphaned due to the Blitz in Britain, children who were often adopted out to new families who could offer them a home and family that they lost. Robert Young leads the cast here, easily stepping into an ideal father figure he would be quite comfortable portraying within a decade’s time. He is a war correspondent with a young wife, they want a family yet due to an accident are unable to have their own. In step two children who capture the correspondent’s attention. This is one of those stories you can’t help but be touched by. It hit the spot for what I needed at the time.

Ladies in Retirement (1941)

Overall this was an interesting noir infused period piece. At the heart is its strongest component which is Ida Lupino in a steely role of protective sister. Lupino is cool and collected here, portraying the familial desire to comfort and protect those closest to us who may not be able to properly help themselves. The others sisters in question are portrayed delightfully by Elsa Lanchester and Edith Barrett, each offering up a unique shade of “eccentric” to their respective roles. Of course this is a noir so under the surface is a growing web of underhanded deeds and lies ready to bubble up. My only qualm with this film is I wish it could’ve gone for a more unconventional ending that would do more justice to its overall tone… The ending served here felt a bit too clean and tidy for my tastes, but overall I did enjoy quite a lot of this film.

Desire Me (1947)

Desire Me is one of those films I happened to see by chance one time on TCM in my high school years, I never saw it on again for revisitation… But I always wanted to because I remember it being a very gorgeous film – the genuine wind swept coastline, cozy little cottage and overall a very fleshed out visual style. In the time that had passed I had forgotten much of the structure and plot… Getting the chance to watch again I walked away disappointed by the plot, what it makes up for in visual richness it lacks in story depth. Looking into the background of the film this seems to have been an unfortunate outcome of a revolving door of directors… In fact this film does not technically have a credited director, there was just too much drama. I really enjoy both Greer Garson and Robert Mitchum, unfortunately this film suffers for its lack of utilizing Mitchum who is in a fraction of the film. Overall I like to think that in some early days of production this was intended to be a much better movie, too bad that didn’t come to pass. But I will say that the location still remains just as inviting, best to look at Desire Me as more of a postcard than an actual strong film.

The Fortune Cookie (1966)

As far as Billy Wilder films go something like The Fortune Cookie was a blind spot for me. I had very little prior knowledge of it before my husband picked it for one of our movie nights. We had watched Lemmon and Matthau before in their most famous pairing of The Odd Couple, so I am no stranger to their innate chemistry as comedic partners. After watching The Fortune Cookie I couldn’t help but feel this must be an underrated treat, because it may be controversial to say but I may have actually liked this a touch more than their famous work. At its heart this is a story of scamming the insurance industry and a comment on the popularity of accident claims. When a CBS news cameraman is accidentally tackled by a football player in front of a full stadium the domino effect quickly goes into effect, much to the scheming of his opportunistic brother in law. The laughs come quite easily and I found myself invested in how things would ultimately play out.

A Tale of Autumn (1998)

I have been slowly making my way through some of french director Éric Rohmer’s work over the past few years. I say slowly because much of his filmography seems hard to come by in Region 1 media and I am fortunate to have two Criterion produced boxsets of some of his work. I like to have a slight backlog of his to work through. During November I felt called to dip into the next seasonally appropriate film of his Tales of the Four Seasons, that being A Tale of Autumn. I have adored so many of the films from Rohmer and its hard to choose, but I might have to say this may be a top favorite. A Tale of Autumn is very tongue in cheek and rather sweet, playing like a french infused send-up of an old Hollywood screwball… Consisting of many of those familiar tropes such as matchmaking, miscommunications and accidental love triangles. Supremely witty and a true joy to discover.

The Ice Storm (1997)

Being the month of November it felt appropriate to try and squeeze in some picks that feature or incorporate Thanksgiving into its story. Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm takes place over the holiday, but instead of heartwarming we get a complicated portrait of a family that at face value seems typical… Behind closed doors they are anything but. We have a father who is cheating with a neighbor’s wife, a wife who is stifled and seeking to rile up her life, a daughter who uses inappropriate actions to explore her teenage self and a son who is a bit detached due to being away at school. We spend the holiday with this family and it is both extremely uncomfortable and also awkwardly realistic. Sure, many families don’t have this many tribulations occurring at once, but often these characters feel similar to people we may know in our regular lives. With a stacked cast and a haunting visual style this is definitely worth checking out.

The Very Thought of You (1944)

Another film featuring the Thanksgiving holiday we got to watch this month was The Very Thought of You. A tail end of the war film from 1944 which was directed by Delmer Daves and stars the likes of Eleanor Parker and Dennis Morgan. This is a compact and sweet romantic drama chronicling the rocky road a couple crosses to happily be together… What are the complications you may ask? Well lets just say that the majority of her family hate the guy, especially the matriarch played here by Beulah Bondi in a cantankerous turn. Much of them seem opposed to Parker’s character getting mixed up with a man in uniform. But despite awful familial interference they manage to find the silver linings. At its heart this is a very simplistic story, but it makes up for it in sheer genuine emotions. You really feel yourself rooting for them, and as someone who is never really won over by Dennis Morgan I actually feel that he is a good fit here and does well. Can be hard to track down, but may be available on Youtube for a heartwarming watch this time of the year.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Whelp, in November we finally came to the end of the Christopher Reeve run of Superman films. This was a new to me watch, but with a fan such as my husband I went in aware of this one being a weak finish for the series. I didn’t love it, much of that is to due with not feeling like the characters acted like they should… The central and crucial relationship of Superman/Clark and Lois is treated very weakly, sometimes they felt like shadows of their former selves thrust into gaudy trappings and cheap spectacle. I won’t go as far as to say this is the worst of the bunch, I actually think the prior third outing is the most awful… This film, when you dig down to its core does feel like a Superman story after all… It is just cut to pieces in such a way that it ultimately is not as strong as it possibly could have been if more care had been given towards the story and the characters. Far from being great, but there are slight glimmers of goodness that one can appreciate… Even if it leaves you scratching your head at a good idea trapped in a lot of muck.

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

I always feel that Hitchcock’s British era of filmmaking is far overlooked compared to his latter Hollywood years. These earlier productions have a unique flavor all their own and are deliciously British, all while retaining that signature Hitchcock touch. Arguably one of the strongest outputs from this time period is The Lady Vanishes. This is a lean and compact mystery, devoid of any unnecessary trappings that could drag it down. You follow a story seeped in early WWII intrigue and fears, with a colorful cast of characters that come alive in their uniqueness. Margaret Lockwood is the young woman caught up in the mystery when she randomly crosses paths with an endearing elderly woman (Dame May Whitty). The older lady is kind to her but when she seemingly disappears from their train ride no one will tell her what happened… Many deny or act as if they don’t believe the woman was ever there at all. Our heroine is grasping for straws and in dire straights… What is truth and what are the lies? This one never gets old and I recommend it highly.

I Was a Male War Bride (1949)

There is only a small handful of Cary Grant films that I have yet to see, I have many that are dear favorites and some I have at least seen once… So coming across a new favorite is a definite treat, that is the case for 1949’s I Was a Male War Bride. This romp comes from the great directorial hands of Howard Hawks and pairs Grant alongside the steely charm of Ann Sheridan. At its heart this is an enemies to lovers story, but when you get through the film you will soon find that the love story almost plays second fiddle… To what? Well, to a comedic jab of the bureaucratic ins and outs of government paperwork and the complicated hoops a couple of different nationalities face when coming together in wedded bliss. This is where the brunt of the film’s humor comes from. Sheridan is a Lieutenant for the U.S. Army, Grant here plays a Captain of the French Army… Falling in love was not only in their plans, but also doesn’t fit well into the guidelines of the armed forces. This brought a lot of all knowing laughs from my husband as I given all the paperwork and tasks we’ve gone through (I am American, my husband is Canadian). All in all this was a great watch.

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

We ended the month of November on a re-visiting of The Empire Strikes Back, a solid point to tie the month of film watching up in a neat bow. In the chaotic world of Star Wars fandom this is the one film that all can come together and agree upon, it’s probably why it often tops so many lists ranking the series… A crowd pleaser for a reason. The Empire Strikes Back takes our beloved group into broader, and often darker directions. The core three characters are even split up, having to brandish their own paths in unique ways until they can once more come together again. This film serves up many iconic set pieces that have become iconic, from the snowy battle of Hoth that opens the story to the blistering final battle between Luke and Vader. It remains towards the top of peak Star Wars for a reason.

November 2024 Final Tally

Overall I must say that the month of November was a genuinely strong month. There were many enjoyable re-watches and new favorites. It would be hard to narrow it down to what my favorite new to me watches were as so many were excellent.

With that I will close here, I look forward to reporting back next month with all my watches from December. See you then!