|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 22, 2014 11:17:06 GMT -5
Spawn Of The North (1938)
Henry Fonda,George Raft,Dorothy Lamour,John Barrymore,Akim Tamiroff,Louise Platt
D-Henry Hathaway
Two Alaskan salmon fishermen, Tyler Dawson (Raft) and Jim Kimmerlee (Fonda) are lifelong pals. Their romantic rivalry over young Dian ends amicably. But a more serious rift, with violent consequences, arises when Tyler befriends Russian fish pirates (Tamiroff) while Jim finds himself aligned with local vigilantes. Notable glacier scenery.
Many classic films from thr 30s and 40s used the same scenario of childhood friends parting ways-one going for the quick and easy buck and the other staying on the straight path. This movie handles the theme decently.It could have used about 20 minutes of trimming early on.There are some very intense and witty scenes
There's a big battle scene between the local fisherman and Russian poachers that gets pretty brutal
Scenes were the fisherman come up on huge ice glaciers and use high-pitched sonics to make them crumble.Spectacular images of this happening
Excellent finale between Raft,Fonda and Tamiroff
There's a scene where Raft is shot in the chest.He asks for a cigarette and is able to make smoke rings come out of his chest.Classic
Slicker The Sea Lion almost steals the show with all the tricks he performs
An under-rated and forgotten film that packs lots of excitement.Lots of Alaskan nature scenes.LaMour is fiery.And Slicker The Sea Lion 8 of 10 stars
|
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Jul 22, 2014 12:39:08 GMT -5
Many classic films from thr 30s and 40s used the same scenario of childhood friends parting ways-one going for the quick and easy buck and the other staying on the straight path. This movie handles the theme decently.It could have used about 20 minutes of trimming early on.There are some very intense and witty scenes Ish, this made me think immediately of Cagney and Pat O'Brien in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), which takes that trope to a high level. The pair are cast as youthful pals who grow up to be a gangster and a priest who meet again as adults.  Cagney crackles in every scene, including (no pun intended) the finale, which is as chilling as everyone says it is. The Dead End Kids are spotlighted, but it's early in their career, so the hamminess isn't as frequent. Ann Sheridan, in a part that may have been abbreviated (unfortunately) during production is sweet and strong, foreshadowing her fine work in Kings Row (1942). O'Brien is priestly, but not sanctimonious. A bonus: Bogart as a weaselly mob lawyer. Excellent script, some superb photography, and though almost all was done on sound-stages, there's also footage of Sing Sing and NYC that adds excellent flavor. Great script, great acting, compelling story, wonderful movie, as almost every Michael Curtiz-directed movie is. BTW: Is there another director ever with as varied and large a repertoire and as successful a track record? The guy could do adventure, musicals, melodrama, noir, Westerns, anything, and all with aplomb. What a body of work: Yankee Doodle Dandy and Casablanca in the same year! The guy's career spanned six decades and nearly 200 movies; he directed Jolson (Mammy) and Elvis ( King Creole)! |
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 22, 2014 12:50:00 GMT -5
Many classic films from thr 30s and 40s used the same scenario of childhood friends parting ways-one going for the quick and easy buck and the other staying on the straight path. This movie handles the theme decently.It could have used about 20 minutes of trimming early on.There are some very intense and witty scenes Ish, this made me think immediately of Cagney and Pat O'Brien in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), which takes that trope to a high level. The pair are cast as youthful pals who grow up to be a gangster and a priest who meet again as adults. Cagney crackles in every scene, including (no pun intended) the finale, which is as chilling as everyone says it is. The Dead End Kids are spotlighted, but it's early in their career, so the hamminess isn't as frequent. Ann Sheridan, in a part that may have been abbreviated (unfortunately) during production is sweet and strong, foreshadowing her fine work in Kings Row (1942). O'Brien is priestly, but not sanctimonious. A bonus: Bogart as a weaselly mob lawyer. Excellent script, some superb photography, and though almost all was done on sound-stages, there's also footage of Sing Sing and NYC that adds excellent flavor. Great script, great acting, compelling story, wonderful movie, as almost every Michael Curtiz-directed movie is. BTW: Is there another director ever with as varied and large a repertoire and as successful a track record? The guy could do adventure, musicals, melodrama, noir, Westerns, anything, and all with aplomb. What a body of work: Yankee Doodle Dandy and Casablanca in the same year! The guy's career spanned six decades and nearly 200 movies; he directed Jolson (Mammy) and Elvis ( King Creole)! And a year before 1937,you have a similar movie Dead End. Two friends from school days on the lower East Side of NYC now grown up-one an honest struggling architect and the other a big-time gangster returning to the old neighborhood. And you have Bogart again.And the Dead End kids again in their debut. And great realistic stage sets of the city but all shot on Hollywood soundstages |
|
|
|
Post by Hoosier X on Jul 22, 2014 13:12:50 GMT -5
Spawn of the North sounds great just for that cast! Dorothy Lamour by herself is always worth the price of admission.
And, yeah, Michael Curtiz is a strange phenomenon. He did SO MANY great movies! But he worked on so many different kinds of movies that they're kind of hard to keep track of. I know that if I look at his IMDB listing, I'll see 20 or more movies of his that I've seen, and most of them are 9- and 10-star movies. But I won't be able to name more than 5 or 6 if I'm not looking at the list. |
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Jul 22, 2014 16:52:50 GMT -5
Ish, this made me think immediately of Cagney and Pat O'Brien in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), which takes that trope to a high level. The pair are cast as youthful pals who grow up to be a gangster and a priest who meet again as adults. Cagney crackles in every scene, including (no pun intended) the finale, which is as chilling as everyone says it is. The Dead End Kids are spotlighted, but it's early in their career, so the hamminess isn't as frequent. Ann Sheridan, in a part that may have been abbreviated (unfortunately) during production is sweet and strong, foreshadowing her fine work in Kings Row (1942). O'Brien is priestly, but not sanctimonious. A bonus: Bogart as a weaselly mob lawyer. Excellent script, some superb photography, and though almost all was done on sound-stages, there's also footage of Sing Sing and NYC that adds excellent flavor. Great script, great acting, compelling story, wonderful movie, as almost every Michael Curtiz-directed movie is. BTW: Is there another director ever with as varied and large a repertoire and as successful a track record? The guy could do adventure, musicals, melodrama, noir, Westerns, anything, and all with aplomb. What a body of work: Yankee Doodle Dandy and Casablanca in the same year! The guy's career spanned six decades and nearly 200 movies; he directed Jolson (Mammy) and Elvis ( King Creole)! And a year before 1937,you have a similar movie Dead End. Two friends from school days on the lower East Side of NYC now grown up-one an honest struggling architect and the other a big-time gangster returning to the old neighborhood. And you have Bogart again.And the Dead End kids again in their debut. And great realistic stage sets of the city but all shot on Hollywood sound stages Yes indeed! Another superb movie. The Dead End Kids' big break. Love that set and all those character actors. You can imagine Jack Kirby growing up in the neighborhoods depicts so vividly in these movies. |
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 22, 2014 17:50:42 GMT -5
Slicker The Sea Lion from Spawn Of The North
This is the only image I could find of Slicker.This guy is was amazing.He was George Raft's pet in the movie and would kiss him on command.Here you see him fetch George Raft's slippers.He would enter the house thru a cut-away in a door like a dog would.He would jump into the bathtub to get refreshed.Turned the faucet on by himself.He knew dog tricks like rolling over or playing dead.He cried when George Raft got shot. We never got enough of Slicker The Sea Lion 
|
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,872
|
Post by shaxper on Jul 22, 2014 19:00:34 GMT -5
Many classic films from thr 30s and 40s used the same scenario of childhood friends parting ways-one going for the quick and easy buck and the other staying on the straight path. This movie handles the theme decently.It could have used about 20 minutes of trimming early on.There are some very intense and witty scenes Ish, this made me think immediately of Cagney and Pat O'Brien in Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), which takes that trope to a high level. The pair are cast as youthful pals who grow up to be a gangster and a priest who meet again as adults. Cagney crackles in every scene, including (no pun intended) the finale, which is as chilling as everyone says it is. The Dead End Kids are spotlighted, but it's early in their career, so the hamminess isn't as frequent. Ann Sheridan, in a part that may have been abbreviated (unfortunately) during production is sweet and strong, foreshadowing her fine work in Kings Row (1942). O'Brien is priestly, but not sanctimonious. A bonus: Bogart as a weaselly mob lawyer. Excellent script, some superb photography, and though almost all was done on sound-stages, there's also footage of Sing Sing and NYC that adds excellent flavor. Great script, great acting, compelling story, wonderful movie, as almost every Michael Curtiz-directed movie is. BTW: Is there another director ever with as varied and large a repertoire and as successful a track record? The guy could do adventure, musicals, melodrama, noir, Westerns, anything, and all with aplomb. What a body of work: Yankee Doodle Dandy and Casablanca in the same year! The guy's career spanned six decades and nearly 200 movies; he directed Jolson (Mammy) and Elvis ( King Creole)! Do I really have to be the first to make this association?  |
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Jul 22, 2014 19:17:55 GMT -5
if Stern and Pesci had run into Cagney in that house, th movie would have lasted about 10 minutes!  |
|
|
|
Post by MDG on Jul 22, 2014 20:11:17 GMT -5
Sisters (1973)
Margot Kidder,Jennifer Salt,Charles Durning,William Finley,Barnard Hughes,Dolph Sweet
D-Brian De Palma
The Staten Island apartment of lovely model Danielle (Kidder) becomes the scene of a grisly murder that is witnessed by her neighbor, Grace (Salt), a reporter. But the police don't believe her story, so it's up to Grace to solve the murder mystery on her own. De Palma's first Hitchcock thriller/horror. It's an American International B-movie but a cut above their usual output.Like Psycho,De Palma takes his time before the first murder. And then a dash of Rear Window and a pinch of Rope with the dead body. Danielle was recently separated from her siamese twin sister Dominique who supposedly died on the operating table.Or is she really alive and killing Danielle's boyfriends? Durning plays the detective the reporter hires and I wish he had more screen time alas.The last 15 minutes get pretty weird as to who's the killer,who's insane,what's the truth? It might not work for all viewers and it was 50-50 for me. A decent and interesting early 70s flick.It even uses a split screen for awhile in the beginning.And a rare film to be shot in the borough of Staten Island in NYC. 7 of 10 stars This sort of sounds like Robert Altman's 3 Women which was terrific. After reading your review a second time I think I might skip this one. I haven't see it in a while, but it's probably one of DePalma's top three movies. To me anyway. |
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 22, 2014 21:37:06 GMT -5
Heat Lightning (1934)
Aline MacMahon,Ann Dvork,Preston Foster,Lyle Talbot,Glenda Farrell,Frank McHugh,Ruth Donnelly,Jane Darwell
D-Mervyn LeRoy
A pre-code Catholic Legion Of Decency banned film
In the Mohave Desert, Olga (MacMahon) runs a gas station, lunch counter, and auto camp with her younger sister Myra (Dvork). In a 24-hour period, Olga must deal with Myra's desire to go to a town dance with a cad, the appearance by happenstance of George (Foster), an old boyfriend who just pulled a robbery in a neighboring town, and the overnight presence of two women recently divorced in Reno, who, with a chauffeur, are carrying valuable jewels. George gets wind of the jewels and plays with Olga's heartstrings to set up a robbery. Myra arranges to sneak off with her beau. It's hot, and the heat lightening is crackling on the horizon. Is Olga's life of peace and hard work in the desert about to change for the worse?
A quick 63 minute film. A proto-feminist film with the two sisters running their own business,one a greasemonkey, and proud they don't need a man around.Somewhat similar to the later Petrified Forest with Bette Davis.The whole movie takes place at the desert service station.An itinerent Mexican family are also sleeping out behind the sheds with the papa strumming Mexican Cantatas for the final half hour.
I don't know what was the Legion's problem.Women running a service station? A small scene has one of the divorced women having to take a bath in a tub out in the desert when a man stumbles upon her and she screams out for help and wants him arrested.He says she should be arrested for public indecency.I'd like to know what a judge would rule on the case
7 of 10 stars
|
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,872
|
Post by shaxper on Jul 22, 2014 21:38:05 GMT -5
if Stern and Pesci had run into Cagney in that house, th movie would have lasted about 10 minutes! I would have enjoyed that film immensely. |
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Jul 22, 2014 21:47:01 GMT -5
if Stern and Pesci had run into Cagney in that house, th movie would have lasted about 10 minutes! I would have enjoyed that film immensely. Ditto. BTW, Shax, love the new heading for the page! |
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,872
|
Post by shaxper on Jul 22, 2014 21:59:23 GMT -5
BTW, Shax, love the new heading for the page! It's only for Batman week, but I'm glad you enjoy it  |
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 23, 2014 11:48:25 GMT -5
The Next Voice You Hear (1950)
James Whitmore,Nancy,Davis,Gary Gray
D-William A.Wellman
Joe Smith (Whitmore)lives in a Los Angeles suburb and works at an aircraft plant. One night Joe hears a voice cut in on a radio program: "This is God. I'll be with you for the next few days." It turns out, everyone in the world listening to any radio heard the same thing. More messages come; some people react positively, others negatively.
At 8:30 PM on every radio station simultaineously around the world an unknown voice interrupts regularly scheduled programming.Its heard in the individuals' native tongue.Its heard in all churches,mosques,synagogues and other places of worship.There is no mention of Jesus or Mohammed.Its message each day is brief,loving and uplifting.Scientists cannot figure out the source of the transmission.It affects people in different ways
Joe Smith heads a model 1950's suburban American family with his son and 9-month expectant wife.There is anxiety in the household because the wife's sister died giving birth to a second child.Joe hates his job and loses his temper time to time.He doesn't know what to make of these mystery broadcasts.Neither do atheists,communists or preachers who like to instill fear within their sermons
I always viewed this as an SF movie.Why not? You never actually hear the voice of god,just the after effects it had on people.The movie is non-denominational and just wants to make you think,very similar to The Day The Earth Stood Still or a Twilight Zone episode.In that way it works
An unusual and thought provoking movie 8 of 10 stars
|
|
|
|
Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 24, 2014 2:00:24 GMT -5
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons(1973)
Tomisaburo Wakayama,Akihiro Tomikawa
D-Kenji Misumi
Fifth film (of 6) in the Lone Wolf & Cub Series. 5 warriors challenge Ogami to duels. Each has 1/5th of Ogami's assassin fee and 1/5 of the information he needs to complete his assassination. His mission is to kill a mad Daimyo before he destroys his clan!
The director of movie #s 1-3 returns. Between Ogami's encounter with the 5 warriors and the finale battle against another army is a very touching and disturbing interlude.Lone Wolf and Cub pass thru a village having a festival. There is an infamous lady pickpocket practicing her trade.
She makes a mistake and is chased thru the village with the wallet she just lifted.Little cub,Daigoro is passing by,separated from his father.The pickpocket asks the boy to hold his wallet and makes him promise not to reveal her identity.She disappears and Daigoro is caught with the money. The police chief is determined to get the pickpocket and will use Daigoro to do so.He calls everyone to gather in the town square and announces he will flog the boy until the pickpocket reveals himself.Just as he's about to begin,the pickpocket steps forward and confesses.The cop asks Daigoro if she is the one.Daigoro says nope.She's stunned that the boy continues to cover for her.The cop thinks she might not be the thief and begins to whip Daigoro.She cries out to the boy to tell the truth that she's the thief.Daigoro keeps saying nope and keeps getting whipped.The pickpocket finally proves she's the one by lifting the cop's wallet.Everyone can't believe the little boy would be willing to take all that punishment just to keep a promise made to a stranger about not revealing her.It just shows part of the code of honor his father has taught him
The battles Lone Wolf has with large groups of men sometimes reminds me what I've read in Groo comics.You just don't get the gory slicing and dicing and decapitating and bloodspurting in Groo like you get here.Also there's a band of warriors in this film and some past ones that wear head gear similiar to AIM, seen in Marvel Comics.You know,that bee keeper ensemble
Anyway another satifying Lone Wolf and Cub adventure.For those who would contemplate checking them out,rest assured its not necessary to see them in any particular order 8 of 10 stars
|
|
