Change Your Image
silvershadows-09863
Reviews
Cross Channel (1955)
Cross Channel 1955
Wayne Morris stars as an American, Tex Parker, who operates a boat charter in England. Tex fought in England during the war and stayed on after it was over. He is in for some bad luck when Carrick (Michael Golden) hires his boat. Tex becomes innocently involved with a gang of smugglers. Carrick and Platt (Patrick Allen) work for mastermind Dagoff (Carl Jaffe). Platt double crosses his partners, framing Tex for his misdeeds. The plan is to kill Tex, so no one can dispute Platt's double cross. Along the way Tex is helped by a French fishing boat and through them he meets a beautiful woman (Yvonne Furneaux).
I like Wayne Morris and I like British B' films. But the 6 score I gave this film is very generous. The film is rather flat in spots. The fights scenes are a bit of a muddle and not convincing. The romantic subplot is a bit of a stretch. There are some beautiful exterior shots, but mixed in with some really cheap looking sets. And although I like the plot, the dialogue does seem clumsy at times. It's not a boring film, certainly not a disaster. I would definitely watch it again. Just don't expect everyone's best work.
Du mei gui (1966)
Poison Rose 1966
A policeman, Kang, is assigned to gather evidence against a drug ring operating from a posh nightclub. Key to his investigation is a beautiful singer, Chiang, who works at the club. Kang poses as a wealthy Canadian-Chinese on holiday. He gets a hotel room directly across from the nightclub and begins observing. Key to Kang's plan is to seduce the lovely Chiang, as his superiors believes she is involved with the drug ring.
A cat and mouse game between Kang and Chiang ensues. A romance blooms, but does she suspect that he is an undercover policeman? This film is a good deal of fun. It doesn't take itself too serious and it isn't afraid to venture into some unlikely situations for the sake of wild action. An amusing subplot has Kang's girlfriend follow him, but since she is not aware of his assignment, she must hire a private detective to find him.
If you love the fast action 1960's spy movies I don't think you'll be disappointed. The two leads are very appealing and there is plenty of excitement to keep this from getting dull.
En fremmed banker på (1959)
A Stranger Knocks 1959
A good little Danish film set in 1947. Not an exploitation film as some of the promotional material suggests. A man wanders the countryside. He hides when an automobile passes. As night falls he stumbles upon a remote cottage. He knocks on the door and is greeted by a beautiful, reserved woman. She allows him to stay the night. Slowly we learn a few things. The man is wicked. He talks to himself, letting the viewer know what the woman does not. She is holding on to some past tragedy that has hurt her badly.
From the beginning, the viewer senses this will end badly. He is being hunted for some atrocities committed during the war. She is mourning for her husband, who died during the war. Against this backdrop, a romance between the two slowly blooms. The sex is intimate, tender and presented in a mature manner. The scenery is splendid, shot in the Danish countryside.
There is another subplot involving the husband's death that I don't want to reveal to the reader. It is key to the story and will be revealed near the end. As the romance plays out we see two contrasting views on human nature. The woman believes there is good and evil. We choose which side we take. The man believes everyone is evil and as he says in the film, animal kills animal.
WW2 brought out this discussing during and after the war. When we saw first hand the atrocities committed by mankind. Some conveniently tucked away their conscience and exclaimed they were only doing their duty. The woman's husband joined the fight, and died, battling evil in his mind. In many ways this is the story of mankind. Some people believe you always do what is right. That you create a win-win situation in life. Others believe in status and material wealth and there are only winners and losers.
The romance builds and becomes quite touching. But the viewer knows it is doomed as the man has built it on lies. There is another little twist that I alluded to earlier that makes the film complete.
...und noch nicht sechzehn (1968)
Sexy and Not Yet 16
I have to admit I was disappointed with this. I've been digging into some obscure foreign film of late and been pleasantly surprised. This was not one of those occasions. The best thing about this film is the title. The plot is about a young girl who roams the streets of a big city. She wants her favorite singer's autograph and the singer invites her into her world. Which is basically men want to have sex with her. She changes hands a few times and on it goes. The singer's friends are not very inviting or attractive. Personally, I'd have stayed home and read a book as opposed to a night of their fun.
The young lady of the title looks 21 and is not attractive. In fact, no one in the movie really is. It's a bit unfair to rate this now because frankly it's a T&A movie. It may have been a big deal to see a woman without a top on in 1968 but today it's lost it's meaning. That said, I really was hoping for something more than a T&A movie. You take your chances with being a film buff, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
Verführung am Meer (1963)
Seduction By The Sea 1963
This is a beautiful little film. A young, beautiful woman (Elke Sommer) is hired by an older woman. The viewer is not told right away what Elke is hired to do. But we do know she is given a substantial sum. Elke travels to a remote area surrounded by little islands. She rents a boat and goes swimming on a remote island. There, someone tries to drive her off, but she comes back. Eventually a man (Peter Van Eyck) shows himself and a playful friendship ensues. I am not going to go deeper into the plot because I found it quite pleasant to let the story unfurl.
Most of the movie is shot on a beautiful island. The camera spends much time on Elke in her prime. It gazes upon her like a man would look at a beautiful woman if he thought no one was looking. Van Eyck is a distant man, he's had some disappoint in life and it hiding away. That said, he is totally independent, living off grid as they say today. He catches his food, prepares his meals. An underlying story is, does Van Eyck want to disrupt he idyllic, quiet life for what seems like an impossible romance. Van Eyck is roughly 50 years old and Sommer approximately 25. She pushes forward rather playfully, he is reserved, at first. But Elke in her prime can knock down a few barriers.
Not only is the film visually impressive, the story line totally works for me. The dialogue is very stylized, as to say, most people don't speak they way they do in this film. But as a complete package it works. The film is poetic and beautiful. I recommend it, but I do see where some people would not like it.
Lucky Jordan (1942)
LUCKY JORDAN
This is one of my favorite wartime crime/espionage/comedies. It's played mostly straight, but a few of the comedy sequences are priceless. Ladd plays Lucky Jordan, a man who makes his living in the rackets. He is a bookie and also makes money in slot machines. Basically letting the saps gamble away their dough. Business is good, but there is a problem. Jordan has been drafted into the army. You know the film isn't taking itself totally serious when Lloyd Corrigan plays Lucky's lawyer.
Jordan looks out for number one and thinks the government should look after itself. He finds nothing but trouble in the army and decides to skip and hide out until the war blows over. He gets away but inadvertently comes into the possession of some blueprints of a new tank design. Spies are after the documents and so is Slip (Sheldon Leonard), his old partner. His main nemesis however, is a spunky idealist (Helen Walker), who wants to see Lucky suffer for his unpatriotic attitude.
Also in the cast is Mabel Paige, who is hired to play Lucky's long lost mother. This is where most of the best laughs are found. But also it becomes quite touching, when the two loners find they have someone they can trust. The spies end up with the blueprints, but they have to beat up Paige to get it. This makes Lucky decide to join the fight. As Lucky says in the film, "I don't want to see my country run by a bunch of guys who beat up old ladies."
Jordan gets a tip that Slip has a connection to Kilpatrick Gardens, a high end garden nursery. This is where the final fireworks will start as we learn that Kilpatrick's is a front for the spies. It's all breezy and filled with snappy patter. The two leads, Walker and Ladd, are beautiful and work well off each other. Ladd's role is very physical here and he's up to meet the challenge. He was a star athlete in high school and you can see it here.
Fanny och Alexander (1982)
Not a fan
I love foreign cinema. Japanese, French, Nordic, etc. But I find Bergman hard to get in to. He tells stories I have no interest in. Frankly, I'd rather watch an Arne Mattsson film than Bergman. Yes, it looks gorgeous. Yes, the performances are nice. It's not story telling techniques, but the story. I have no interest in the story of a large, well off family as seen through the eyes of two children. The children are sponges, taking everything around them in. It just doesn't work for me. The first time I saw this 25 years ago all I could remember was it was too long and the farting old uncle.
I found this extremely tough sledding to get through. The idea that a 5 hour version exists made me roll my eyes. Pretentious. Why not a 50 hour version where we follow people to the bathroom when they have a bowel movement.
Kurosawa, Cocteau, Dreyer, Carne, Renoir, Mizoguchi, De Sica, all masters. Bergman, not for me.
Cross-Country Romance (1940)
Cross Country Romance
Wendy Barrie plays Diane North, a wealthy heiress who is set to marry a dull man. Diane's mother has arranged the marriage because the stiff her daughter is to marry has even more money than they do. Diane decides to rebel and secretly hides in a trailer, driven by Dr. Smith (Gene Raymond). Dr. Smith is driving the trailer cross country to San Francisco. Dr. Smith is shocked to find her on the trailer, but Diane manages to convince him to let her stay for the ride. Of course, a romance slowly blooms.
Barrie's character is nutty, but likeable. Think of Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy, but wealthy as well. Gene Raymond's character is a serious, somber fellow, who puts work before personal relationships. Diane continually tries to "help" Dr. Smith during their journey and continually gets him into some wild trouble.
Future super star, Alan Ladd, has a bit part as the First Mate near the end of the film. Frank Sully and Cliff Clark play not too bright policemen. And Billy Gilbert, billed forth, has a small role as a cafe owner. The two stars do most of the work here and perform a splendid job as one would expect.
I often shake my head on the rating scores here on IMDB. Every film made in the last 10 years seems to have an 8.2 rating. While older films seem harshly rated. This breezy little comedy is currently rated 5.7! I have been a film buff all my life. I enjoy silent films, foreign films, everything. The high watermark for me is the 1930's and 1940's. And if this solid little B' film only rates a 5.7, well give me a 1940's 5.7 all day long.
Desert Legion (1953)
DESERT LEGION 1953
A Legionnaire's regiment patrols the Algerian mountains in North Africa. They are trying to locate the leader of a gang of killers, Omar Ben Kalif. As they travel along the mountains they are ambushed by Kalif' and his soldiers. Incredibly the Legionnaires become surrounded as if Kalif's men have come straight out of the mountain. Only one Legionnaire survives the ambush, Captain Lartal (Alan Ladd), but he is badly injured. He wakes for a few moments to see a beautiful woman (Arlene Dahl), who says she needs his help. He loses consciousness and later wakes to find himself being rescued by a Legionnaire patrol. He tells his story to his commanding officer, but no one will believe his tale of the beautiful woman.
Captain Lartal decides to find the mysterious woman and also get revenge on Kalif. He and a partner (Akim Tamiroff) make their way to the city. There, they meet a stranger who takes them on a journey to the mountains. The stranger takes them through a secret passage that leads to a hidden city. There Captain Lartal meets the beautiful woman. Her father, Si Khalil, rules the city with ideals of peace and brotherhood. But there is an uprising brewing within and violence is feared. Captain Lartal is asked to help stop the violent uprising. The rebel leader is Damou, a man determined to lead the city by his own values.
I thought it was a great little movie. The color is rich, the scenes beautifully shot. The score really added to my enjoyment of the film. The acting was delightful. Ladd and Conte, 40 and 43 respectively, are fit and vibrant. Dahl is extremely beautiful. And the character roles played by Tamiroff, Anthony Caruso and Oscar Beregi are top notch. It's an adventure film aimed at a younger audience and it packs a punch.
Ljuvlig är sommarnatten (1961)
Summer Nights Are Sweet 1961
This is another very satisfying film from Director Arne Mattsson. A young woman is about to marry into the wealthiest family in town. Hours before the wedding, the woman disappears. The wedding has to be called off and the police have to be called in. The police's initial probe reveals everything was normal. The missing woman was dependable and unlikely to run away. Her family and friends are solid and unlikely to be involved in the disappearance. However, the veteran detective called into the case knows their are hidden stories and he must dig to find them.
I won't delve deeper into the plot because there are a few twists right from the beginning. Almost everyone has a hidden story. People do not always behave as they should. Just like real life these characters have their peccadilloes.The detective is relentless. He gathers everyone in, learns the story bit by bit and eventually finds the truth. As the film closes, the detective says to a colleague, "This job disgusts me.". Which I took to mean, it's the people who disgust him. The hidden lives most people seem to live.
Santiago (1956)
SANTIAGO 1956
Alan Ladd plays Cash Adams, an ex-West Point officer who was dishonorably discharged from the military. Now he's a gun runner selling weapons to the highest bidder. He arrives in Tampa to sell guns to Cubans, who are fighting Spanish oppressors. Right away he's thrown a curve when he is told he must deliver the weapons to Cuba before he is paid. It is a switch of plans but he agrees but for double the original price. He delivers the cargo to large paddle boat operated by Captain Jones (Chill Wills). There, he is surprise to see Clay Pike (Lloyd Nolan), an old nemesis who is also selling weapons to Cuba.
Adams tells anyone who will listen that he is only interested in money. The viewer suspects that Adams doesn't quite believe that himself. On the boat, we meet Dona Isabella (Rossana Podesta), a Cuban patriot, who has been collecting funds in America. It becomes apparent that the rivalry Pike and Adams runs very deep and the two men seem to hate each other.
The boat arrives in Cuba, but there is another change of plan. The Spanish now control the roads. So the weapons will have to be transported through the heavy bush and jungle.There are a couple of close shaves but the group eventually manage to deliver the weapons to the specified destination. Adams learns that the Cubans were attacked by the Spanish and have gone into hiding. Pike has had too many changes to the plan and too many scrapes with death. He decides right then and there that they will forget the delivery and sell the weapons to the Spanish. Adams disagrees with his proposal.
Now the long running battle between the two men will come to a close. The fight to the death that both men had envisioned is about to take place. If Pike wins, the weapons will be sold to the Spanish. If Adams wins, they continue on in their journey to deliver the weapons. It's a solid little adventure film. The two leads, Nolan and Ladd, run the show and deliver as one would expect. Some reviewers really seem to dislike the film. It's no masterpiece, but a typical 50's adventure film, aimed at the youngsters.
The Morals of Marcus (1935)
The Morals of Marcus 1935
I liked it. Not a straight out comedy. But a mix of comedy and drama. Lupe plays Carlotta, a woman of mixed heritage (Syrian & English). Her wealthy, but no good step father, plans to sell Carlotta into a wealthy man's harem. Carlotta escapes, stowaways on a ship bound for England, and hides in a scientist's trunk. The first quarter is played for laughs with Lupe doing some sexy and funny knockabout comedy.
The scientist, Marcus (Ian Hunter), is a stiff upper lip who has devoted his life to his work. He doesn't believe in marriage. Marcus agrees to let Carlotta live with him in England until they find her family in England. She falls in love with Marcus and sets out to win his heart. However, there will be many obstacles to overcome. Marcus' friend, Tony (Noel Madison), is a rogue who makes love to Carlotta every chance her gets. And Marcus' secretary, Judith (Adrianne Allen), has plans of her own to snare her boss.
An interesting subplot is that the English society of manners and culture is presented as scheming and double crossing. While Carlotta, who is shunned by society, is honest and straight forward. For example, Tony lies to Carlotta, saying he wishes to marry her. When in truth he just wants to have sex with her. Judith, who claims to want only what is best for Marcus, clearly only wants what is best for herself.
Carlotta's stepfather arrives in England and this sets off a chain of wild events. Will Marcus and Carlotta find love despite all the obstacles? Well, you'll have to watch and find out. Certainly an enjoyable film. Lupe Velez collectors will want to track it down. And thanks to Talking Pictures TV in England for finding it and playing it.
Juggernaut (1936)
Juggernaut 1936
This film is tough to find in good quality. I recently watched a Talking Pictures TV print and it was the best I've seen. Call me crazy. but I like this film. It is highly melodramatic, played out like a horror film. Karloff plays a doctor, highly in need of cash for his research. He agrees to work as a personal physician to a wealthy, old man. The old man's wife (Mona Goya) is a selfish woman, 30 years younger than her husband. She carries on with her love affairs and doesn't care what anyone thinks. She patiently waits for her old, feeble husband to die, when she will take control of the estate.
A wrench in Goya's plan comes in the form of the arrival of her husband's son (Arthur Margetson). The old man realizes marrying Goya was a mistake. He is changing his will to leave everything to his son. Now Karloff and Goya plot to kill the old man before the new will can kick in. One reviewer said the film is boring, It's hardly that. Another said Goya is a terrible actress. I thought she was great as the scheming hag, who goes into hysterics when she smells her plans go up in smoke. It's a minor film for sure, but not without interest. And of course, Boris is always great.
Hilja - maitotyttö (1953)
The Milkmaid 1953
A fairy tale like poem about a young romance. A young country woman, Hilja. works as a milkmaid, driving a horse drawn wagon. One day, she meets a young man from the city, who is smitten by her beauty. The life in the country is presented as straight forward and crude. There is no time for romance. The major landowner is a brute, who has his was with all women who live single in the area.
Hilja's romance with the city man blooms. He is an artist and fills his sketch pad with drawings of her. Aiding the romance is the power of nature and the beauty of the countryside. The lake, the wind, the trees and birds, are all a part of the intimacy. Yet, there is a problem both must face. They belong to different worlds and neither feels comfortable in the other's circle.
There is no doubt this film is not everyone's cup of tea. It's artsy and poetic. If you are into directors like Bresson you will enjoy this. I thought it was beautiful, with a mature view of sex and romance. .
Nattens ljus (1957)
NIGHT LIGHT 1957
This is a charming little comedy. A small town girl visits here Aunt in the big city (Stockholm). Her aunt isn't there to meet her at the station and this sets off a cascade of adventures. Through the night she meets many people. A thief, an actor, a policeman, and more. One of the amusing gags is that she keeps meeting the same people throughout the night. Her adventure a little further along each time she meets someone again.
She is also very beautiful and instantly attracts the attention of the men. She favors the man who tried to steal her luggage at the station. He's angry at the world, because he hasn't found his place it in. As dawn approaches she makes it to her aunt's home. She sneaks past her aunt and uncle, who are sleeping in the living room, waiting for her. It's a bit of fluff, but presented in a very pleasing way.
The Deep Six (1958)
The Deep Six 1958
I recently read the Bev Linet book on Alan Ladd. The book consistently talks about Alan's decline at Warner Bros. The problem with that is the half dozen of his post Paramount pictures I've seen have all been good. Linet's book, written in the 1970's, uses the old New York Times reviews as reference. The trouble there is the Times seemed to hate movies, not just Alan Ladd's. So when you are basing his films on Times reviews and not watching the actual films, you might be off target.
This is a good film. It looks good. The star looks good. It's not 1942 Ladd. But he's trim and fit. The supporting cast is excellent and deep. William Bendix; Keenan Wynn; James Whitmore; Efrem Zimbalist Jr,; Peter Hansen and Joey Bishop. All brings something to the story and their roles. The romance is believable. It's right to have Diane Foster, a 30 year old executive, engaged to another man in the beginning. Too many films gloss the romantic subplot and pretend a beautiful 30 year old woman has waited her whole life for "The man of her dreams" to appear.
The plot is simple but interesting. Ladd plays a commercial artist of a Quaker upbringing. He's a reserve Navy Lieutenant who is called to service during WW2. His superior officer doesn't like Ladd's religious background and fears he won't deliver when needed. Events conspire to make other sailors also question if Ladd can be depended on in action. Will he come through, when needed most?
Alan was a sensitive actor. When he was at ease he was brilliant. For example, with Van Heflin in Shane. His scenes with Bill Bendix here are of the same class. Two old friends back together doing what they do best. Entertaining the public.
Mr. Boggs Steps Out (1938)
Stuart Erwin & Helen Chandler
I watched this little Grand National film expecting little. I wanted to see Helen Chandler's last film. I had a crush on Helen since I first saw Dracula on TV when I was a kid. From the opening moments I had a smile on my face. Stuart Erwin decides to step out in the world and make his mark. He moves to a small town (where no one has a job) to buy a barrel factory. The barrel factory has one customer, a Pickle manufacturer, and that business is struggling.
Erwin has a habit of reciting meaningless statistics in the middle of conversations, causing confusion for all. Helen Chandler plays his only employee. Is the company losing money? As Helen tells Erwin early on, "If you stay here long enough, you'll be wearing one (a barrel)" The odds are all against Erwin, can he possibly make the business a success?
Chandler and Erwin are very good here. It's surprising this was her last film. She's very good. Beautiful Toby Wing is also in the cast. She plays a snobby society dame who Erwin covets. This is a fun film, one of the best Grand National films I have seen.
West of Shanghai (1937)
West of Shanghai
A group of Americans are traveling to rural China, where Jill Hallet (Gordon Oliver) plans to tap an oil reserve. One man, (Douglas Wood) has invested in the business and wants to see a return on his investment. Another man (Ricardo Cortez) plans on buying his way into the venture. The area is very volatile, as a rebel bandit, Fang (Boris Karloff), is creating a wave of terror. Even the Chinese military have sent a General to exterminate the bandit. But Fang has anticipated the Chinese military's plan and one of his men murders the General.
The Americans arrive at Hallet's remote village. Fang and his soldiers arrive shortly after and take over the village. We soon learn the Hallet helped out Fang years before. It was an action not forgotten by Fang, who considers Hallet a friend. This buys everyone time, as Fang blatantly romances a missionary (Beverly Roberts).
I saw the trailer before I watched the film and I thought it was going to be a dull movie. I was wrong. Warner Bros. in the 1930's was rarely boring. This is a very low budget film for Warner Bros., yet it maintains the polish and craftsmanship of their more expensive films. The script is just average. There are a couple of plot devices that I thought were weakly played out. Hallet has two women in love with him, but we get none of the backstory on either romance. One of the women is a missionary, who just happens to be married to Ricardo Cortez's character.
To enjoy this film all you have to do is sit back and enjoy Karloff's work. He was a vastly underrated actor. He could easily command a scene and he could bring a film up a notch all on his own. The screenwriter did a nice job on the Fang character. I was expecting a cardboard, manic, ruthless madman. Instead he wrote quite a character. A man who dispatches violence with barely a thought, but also a man with his own, well defined, code of ethics.
And Now Tomorrow (1944)
And Now Tomorrow 1944
Alan Ladd and Loretta Young were teamed up again after starring together in China 1943. Both are well suited to their roles in And Now Tomorrow. Ladd, as the hard working doctor, who works at a Pittsburgh free clinic. Young, as the wealthy heiress, who travels the globe. looking for a cure for her deafness.
Dr. Vance (Ladd) arrives at the home of his friend and mentor, Dr. Meeks (Cecil Kellaway), who asks Lance for a favor. He wants Vance to use his new methods of curing hearing loss on socialite, Emily Blair. Vance refuses, saying he is much to busy helping the poor. However, Vance does have a grudge with the Blair family. He doesn't like that they live like royalty, while the people who work their mills, live difficult lives. Furthermore, Vance's father had a run in with Emily's father years before and was fired.
Yet, with a twinkle in his eye, Vance agrees to dine at the Blair palace with Dr. Meeks. During the evening, Dr. Vance and Emily are alone together. Vance mentions Dr. Meeks plan to have him help Emily. She is startled and amused. She has traveled the globe to find a cure for her deafness. How could this doctor, a man no one has heard of, help her? Vance had expected such a response. He gets up to leave and says, "Deafness isn't the only thing I'd like to cure you of."
Dr. Meeks eventually gets Vance to agree to treat Emily. It's a long procedure that will take months and may not be successful. Initially the two are at odds with each other. Vance doesn't think the Blair's wealth enables Emily to show up late for appointments. Emily thinks Vance is lacking in manners.
A pivotal part of the movie occurs when Dr. Vance is called to shantytown to look at a man's (Anthony Caruso) sick child. Emily is with Vance and helps him perform an emergency operation. Emily gets to see a different world first hand. Vance is impressed that Emily comes through in the clutch. As a side note, it's not the first or last time Caruso appeared in a Alan Ladd film. Caruso was a busy, talented actor, who appeared in ten Alan Ladd films. It wasn't a coincidence. When Ladd and Caruso were struggling actors they sat together at an audition. Afterwards, Caruso asked Ladd to lunch, but Ladd was broke and had to refuse. Caruso's father stepped in and bought lunch. Ladd never forgot the act of kindness and gave Caruso a part in his films if he could. And Caruso couldn't believe the loyalty you just don't find in Hollywood.
Unfortunately, the treatments aren't working on Emily. Vance decides to go back to the clinic in Pittsburgh. Emily, gets back to her life and her fiance (Barry Sullivan). She plans to get married and is resigned to the fact she will never be cured. On the eve of her wedding Emily learns that Vance has had a success with a new method. She rushes to Vance and begs him to try the method on her, although it hasn't been tested on humans. He relents, and gives her the treatment. She reacts badly and collapses. There is a fear she won't live, but she survives.
The next morning Emily wakes to learn she can now hear. She soon learns her fiance has been having an affair with her sister. The wedding is officially off. She rushes to Pittsburgh to thank Dr. Vance. She phones him from his outer office, commenting he has a lovely voice. He realizes that she can hear and that his treatment has worked. She informs him the wedding is off and she'd like to repay him. They embrace.
It's an excellent film with many strong performances. The plot wobbles occasionally, but the cast really holds things together. Young gives her usual excellent performance. Both Susan Hayward and Barry Sullivan are excellent in small roles. But for me, it's Ladd's work that is most enjoyable. Years ago, film critics, like Bosley Crowther, delighted in telling us what a terrible actor Ladd was. Later, authors of film history books repeated the same old legends. Even noted television hosts, like Dick Cavett, would ridicule his talents. Funny thing is audiences enjoyed his work and flocked to his films for 20 years. He has always been one of my favorites. I guess I always made my own decisions on what was good and what I liked. Alan Ladd was simply one of the best.
Barnyard Follies (1940)
The Good Old Days
The Director of a country orphanage has invested in the 4H Club philosophy. That means all the kids are learning farm life. The children are tending to cows and chickens and turkeys and growing crops. However, there is a problem at the orphanage. They are $5,000 in debt. The Director, affectionately known as Pappy (Harry Cheshire), needs to raise the money in 30 days.
It looks like the orphanage will get a break when Pappy inherits his brother's nightclub. But he's also inherited the contracts of the dancers and musicians. He decides to put the club's employees to work at the orphanage. Many complications follow. The 4H activities mean that, in time, the orphanage will be self sufficient. But the crooks, who loaned Pappy the money, don't want that. They've been skimming money off the orphanage for years.
Pappy has raised some money selling the nightclub, but not enough. So the kids at the orphanage decide to put on a show to raise the rest of the money. The musicians step in and help. It doesn't hurt that one of the kids (Mary Lee) is a spunky, little singer. It's a pleasant little film, not to be taken seriously. One in a long line of rural musicals, that Republic seemed to specialize in. I rather enjoyed it and was smiling throughout. The youngster, Mary Lee, was some talented kid.
Footsteps in the Snow (1966)
French Canadian Beach/Thriller/Teen/Comedy with Legendary Lake
I was compelled to write a review upon seeing this rarity. First of all, I don't speak French. This review is based entirely on the visual. It was not unusual to jump genres throughout a film during this time period. The film reminds me of the Beach/Go Go Girls/Spy Movie that were prominent in the early 1960's. In other words, a fun film, not to be taken seriously.
To give you an idea, I'll recap the opening five minutes. A dying man crawls through the snow during the opening credits. Young people talk outside a ski lodge. A hot girl walks by, one young man is greatly impressed. A man on a snowmobile finds the dead body in the snow. Inside the lodge, The Jaybees perform, while girls dance in bikinis. And on it goes. There are girls in bikinis having snowball fights and there is some serious business with the police probing the death of the man in the snow.
The print I saw is from an old vhs release and looked decent. The colour was a little muddied as one previous review mentioned, but that is the fault of the transfer and not the original film release. I hunted this down to see Ms. Lake so let us get to that. She looks good. Her hair is shorter, pulled back, but the bang that always wanted to fall over her eye is still there. Though not long enough to cover her eye. She seems to relish her role, which calls for an over the top, almost comical performance. She plays the heavy and she looks like she's having fun. Peace Veronica.
Saigon (1947)
Lake and Ladd Adventure/Romance
This is a very rare film. There has never been a commercial release to my knowledge. The print I viewed was transferred from 16mm and although it is a beat up print, it is fairly sharp. The story centers around three wartime airmen, who are waiting for one of them to regain his health. The bad news comes right at the start. One of the friends, Mike (Douglas Dick) has only a couple of months to live. His two buddies Larry (Alan Ladd) and Pete (Wally Cassell) decide not to tell him he's dying. Instead, they decide to go out with a bang and have one great, last adventure.
Larry decides the adventure will start by flying a wealthy businessman's cargo to Saigon. The businessman,Mr. Maris (Morris Carnovsky), agrees to pay the men $10,000 for the delivery. When the friends arrive to transport the shipment to Saigon, they find only Maris's beautiful secretary, Susan. She (Veronica Lake) reveals there is no cargo, only a suitcase. Larry begins to smell a rat, but he can't turn back, as the police show up firing bullets as the plane takes to the air.
It is revealed that the suitcase contains $500,000 and that Maris was trying to abscond with it. Larry ponders how deeply involved Susan is involved in the deception. Things take a turn on the journey to Saigon. Mike, the dying airman, falls for Susan. She is torn, as she still believes her boss is legit and the three friends may be crooked. Eventually, her views soften when she learns Mike is dying and sees how concerned his friends are. She agrees to a light romance with Mike, knowing his days are numbered.
The denouement comes at a posh Saigon hotel. The four have arrived safely, but so has a police official (Luther Adler) who knows about Maris' plan and the missing $500,000. Maris finally shows in Susan's room to retrieve the suitcase. She explains she no longer has it and the final fireworks start.
I'll be honest. Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd are two of my favorites. Ladd was my dad's favorite actor, and he's in my top two. Veronica, was a stunningly beautiful woman and she had that sparkle. There is a scene in the movie, towards the end, where she dons a white gown. In the night, she glides like the flame of a candle, dancing in the wind. Breathtaking in her beauty.