doc_brown

Simple story, but some of the acting is marvelous, especially Greer Garson, who literally steals the movie. It was almost embarrassing to watch Joan Crawford try to act next to her. The difference of talent between the two women is unmistakable---Garson is leagues ahead.

Robert Taylor was also excellent, playing the mischievous suitor, comically bent on winning Joan Crawford's Mary Howard. I had previously only seen him melodrama, so watching him play a comedic role was very refreshing.

The story is a bit slow, but it picks up when Crawford and Garson meet towards the end of the picture. The dialog there is smart and thought provoking, and the talent of Garson really shines through.

Not a great movie, but worth a rental to catch some good acting from two of the studio era's greatest stars.

For the first time in quite a while, a movie has made me think long after the credits.

For some reason, the film left me feeling a bit odd. It wasn't the subject matter, because I've been around the gay/lesbian community so much that same-sex relationships don't even make me blink. No, it was the way the movie was wrapped up during the third act.

My feeling is that the movie ended the way the writers wanted it to end, not the way the movie should have ended based on the logical progression of the first and second acts. While the current ending is seemingly true to the characters, it's slammed into so quickly that it nearly ruins the film. We spend 80 minutes watching Jessica finally open up, and actually accept her relationship with Helen. We come to a point where they just seemed so right together. After all the weirdness between them, Jessica and Helen are finally good to go, right?

Unfortunately, no. The film goes into a quick "happy life montage", and kills their relationship off shortly thereafter. We spend 80 minutes getting to a point where Helen and Jessica finally make it over a number of hurdles, only to have everything yanked down in a few two minute scenes?

Had the movie planned for this collapse, it could have led to a more satisfying ending. Taking a seemingly nice relationship and hammering it down with a bunch of "three month later" cuts, cheapens the effect of the movie. It becomes especially cheap when problems they had earlier in the film, but managed to get over, suddenly make their way back in the last ten minutes.

I may seem hyper-critical, but it's only because I loved the first two-thirds of the film so much. It was a breath of fresh air that I'm not used to getting in a movie theater. I was so in love with everything, only to have it pulled out from under me by a swift, little rhyme-or-reason conclusion.

My only other gripe would have to be the character of Josh. He had the potential to be a major part of the film, but it seems that in order to keep the focus on Jessica and Helen, he had to be relegated to the sideline. It's too bad, because I think Scott Cohen is one heck of an actor, and he brought a real sense of humor to a potentially melodramatic role.

Anyway, despite my negative comments, see the film. Make up your own mind about the conclusion. This is a very original movie, and definitely worth your time.

This is the king of formula shows. Every single episode goes down the same way:

Quincy has just gotten off of a particularly grueling case.

The boss brings in a new body that Quincy "just has to look at".

Sam, his ever faithful assistant, is just about to leave for the night before Quincy calls him back. "I need you to stay and figure this one out."

They show the 'late-night working montage', which always consists of Sam running spectral analysis tests while Quincy pokes at the body.

The montage ends, and Sam says "I don't like the looks of this Quince".

Quincy then insults Sam about the quality of his coffee.

Quincy puts on his detective hat, and interviews witnesses.

Quincy will come against opposition to him solving the case, and he will yell at that person. In fact, he will have been yelling for most of the episode, but now the yelling is of a righteous nature.

Quincy will confront his main adversary and scream, "PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE!!"

Quincy's boss, who was against all meddling from the start, eventually comes around.

Quincy solves the case, then explains everything over breakfast/lunch/dinner with his pals.

Someone at the table tells a throw-away joke, usually at Quincy's expense, leaving everyone in stitches.

Roll credits.

Eat your heart out, Jordan Cavanaugh