The Blackboard Jungle 1955

Starring: Glenn Ford

In a slum school. a teacher finally gains the respect of his class of young hooligans.

This type of unruly school movie is frequently turned out, some more convincing than others. This one in my opinion is grossly underrated. Glenn Ford as the initially timid & then determined teacher doesn't put a foot wrong, Sidney Poitier verges on the charismatic and Vic Morrow comes over as truely disturbed. Hard to watch at times but gripping.             8/10

The Strongest man in the World

Starring: Kurt Russell

An accident in a science lab gives a student superhuman strength.

There's something comforting about the opening credits & music of a Disney film. This movie started OK and was fairly watchable however daft the premise. It lost it for me when the two characters were released from prison. Suddenly we had two people taking up a load of screen time that I as an audience member, didn't care about. The characters that we'd previously been introduced to, were nowhere to be seen. The ending was satisfactory & Phil Silvers lifted any seen that he was in.       4/10

The Final test 1953

Starring: Jack Warner

A cricketer looks forward to his last game but is out for a duck; He is however cheered by the crowd and comforted by his son.

Cricket meets poetry in this sleepy little movie. Jack Warner has the emotion & charisma of a dining room table & looks about 30 years too old for his bride to be. But his son brings some youthful charm & Robert Morley is an absolute delight (Not something I normally say). Some how, this movie had charm and for me, worked.     7/10

Went the day well 1942

Starring: Leslie Banks

Villagers resist when German paratroopers invade an English village and the squire proves to be a quisling.

An insular little movie that makes you believe that you're the only one looking in on a dreadful ordeal for this typical English village. The film pulls no punches & highlights the tragedy and pointlessness of 2 nations fighting. 60 years after the war ended, this still gets the blood boiling.   8/10

Desperadoes 1943

Starring: Randolph Scott

A gunman rides into town to cause trouble, but finds romance and renews an old friendship.

This movie cannot decide whether it's a drama or a comedy. As a drama it's oh so predictable, as a comedy I'm afraid it just wasn't funny. As usual with Westerns, some great scenery, there was just no originality with plot or action. Glenn Ford is OK, Randolph Scott goes through the motions without really being noticed.      4/10

Water 1985

Starring: Michael Caine

Chaos comes to a Caribbean island when industrialists check it for mineral springs.

This film just doesn't work & it has no right not to work with the writers, actors & musicians who were signed up. The story is actually quite a good idea but all the characters were played so over the top that they descended into caricatures. If they'd played it utterly straight, the humour would have been pointe 7 the whole thing could have been brilliant.

Such a waste.     4/10

Billy Liar 1963

Starring: Tom Courtenay

In a drab North country town, an undertaker's clerk lives in a World of fantasy

Every character in this movie comes across as so genuine. Nothing is over the top apart from Liar's daydreaming scenes, all of which is completely called for. It's amusing, there's so much you can relate to, it's moving & also sad. Julie Christie is delightful as the one person who genuinely understands Liar. So different from anything you see in this day & age.    7/10

Jeremiah Johnson 1972

Starring: Robert Redford

In the 1850's an ex-soldier becomes a mountain trapper.

Beautifully made epic set in the wilderness. Stunning locations, fascinating characterisation & great performances. Touches of humour, particularly where Redford first tries to fish & when Grandpa Walton sends a Grizzly into his shack for Redford to skin. Touching as well as tragic, a great movie with Director & star both at the top of their game.     9/10

Leave her to heaven 1945

Starring: Gene Tierney

A selfish, jealous woman causes unhappiness for those around her, even in her suicide.

From the first frame with the melodramatic music, you knew that this wouldn't be a bundle of laughs. A slow-moving drama that simmered beautifully under the surface. Tierney was excellent as the slightly deranged siren, I would have liked to have known more as to what triggered her desperate behaviour. A movie thatr had a nice beginning, middle & end.      8/10

I was Monty's double 1958

Starring: John Mills

To distract the Nazis in Africa, an actor is hired to act as General Montgomery.

Quite an original idea. My main problem, is I'm ashamed to say that I'm not really too sure what the actual Monty looked or sounded like. That rather dates the film for me although its easy going style along with some nice performances, made it more than watchable. It got rather bogged down in the second half of the film & the capture scene didn't quite work for me. Quite good fun though.      5/10

Creepshow 2 1987

Starring: Lois Chiles

Cheapjack sequel, of no interest whatsoever.

Three short stories by Stephen King. The plus points are they were reasonably well made, quite well acted with some very good special effects. The stories were watchable enough, but the minus point is that they were all utterly predictable with no shocks. I liked the Indian story best followed by the hitchhiker & finally the raft.      6/10

Forty ninth parallel 1941

Starring: Eric Portman

In Canada, five stranded U-boat men try to escape into the US.

Nazis arrive on Canadian soil for the first time & find the Canadians indifference towards the war difficult to take. The constantly moving situations & locations keep this movie interesting. Good performances and a whole bunch of star cameos. A war movie with a difference.     6/10

Doctor in trouble 1970

Starring: Leslie Phillips

Dr Burke inadvertently becomes a stowaway on an Atlantic cruise.

Formula British comedy with no surprises 7 saucy, seaside postcard humour. Most films from this time include either James Robertson Justice, Robert Morley or John Le Mesurier. This had all three. Not very amusing but harmless fun for a Sunday morning.    5/10

Death Race 2000 1975

Starring: David Carradine

In the Year 2000, the World's most popular sport involves motor racers who compete for the highest total of human casualties.

Cult style B movie. All extremely distasteful and exhibited some acting of the poorest quality by the likes of Stallone. Never raised a smile, the cars were nicely put together for any petrol heads. Occasionally this caught my interest and at least it was mercifully short.    3/10

California Split 1974

Starring: Elliott Gould

Two cheerful gamblers get drunk, laid, cheated and happy.

Really hard to en joy this movie. Occasionally a plot line would grab the attention or I'd start to connect with a character. But the constant chatter with 2,3 or 4 people all talking at the same time was a bizarre directional decision. Basically, you ended up taking in very little and at the end I found that I didn't care whether they won or lost in the casino.         3/10

Coroner Creek 1948

Starring: Randolph Scott

A Western crusader tracks down the man behind a stagecoach raid.

A routine Western rolled off the Randolph Scott production line. This didn't really have anything to set it apart from many other Western's (Man arrives in town seeking revenge). Possibly slightly more vicious than some, but lacked originality.        4/10

The Great St Trinian's train robbery 1966

Starring: Frankie Howerd

The staff of St Trinian's is infiltrated by would-be train robbers

St Trinian's is all the rage at the moment following the remake. This is one sequel to far in the originals. All the essence that made this series work had disappeared and we were left with some poor characters, the headmistress was particularly annoying. Frankie Howerd bought some nice touches and his timing as ever, was spot on. The end sequence with the train chase went on about 5 mins too long. Watchable, but instantly forgettable.       5/10

Reach for the sky 1956

Starring: Kenneth More

Douglas Bader loses both legs in a 1931 air crash, learns to walk on artificial limbs and flies again in World War 11.

Utterly inspirational movie, Bader's courage and determination made me feel utterly inadequate. A light hearted, bouncy feel drives the movie along & at over 2 hours, I wanted it to keep going, very unusual for me. More is charming and bordering on the charismatic, all the other characters are rounded and utterly believable. Only the flying sequences were slightly unrealistic.     9/10

The Great Rupert 1950

Starring: Jimmy Durante

A family of impoverished acrobats are assisted by a pet squirrel which proves lucky in more ways than one.

Now, I've seen a lot of movies & thought that I'd pretty much seen it all, but a dancing squirrel? Let's just say that I was worried after 5 minutes as to just what I'd be watching. But this settles down to be a charming movie. Sure, the plot line is as implausible as you can get, but it's great fun. Jimmy Durante is a natural entertainer and there are some cracking one-liners and catchy little musical numbers. The whole thing comes together nicely at the end, I loved it!      9/10

The Life and times of Colonel Blimp 1943

Starring: Roger Livesey

A British soldier survives three wars and falls in love with three women

A tour de force for Livesey, he portrays his character brilliantly with Anton Walbrook proving to be a perfect foil for his blustering Englishness. Deborah Kerr is a delight throughout in this lavish, light hearted epic. So much to enjoy, but why did it have to be so interminably long?      5/10

Flying tigers 1942

Starring: John Wayne

American airmen fight the Japs over World war 11 China

Not the most interesting of films. It never seems to be going anywhere until the last 10 minutes. Wayne goes through the motions as usual but brings no personality to his character, All a bit unbelievable really.        4/10

Miss Sadie Thompson 1953

Starring: Rita Hayworth

Vigourous semi-musical remake of Rain a good star vehicle, but not otherwise notable.

This movie is all about Rita Hayworth. Sure, she can act, sing & has definite star quality. Unfortunately this is not enough, as the plot is as thin as it is unbelievable and the rest of the cast are generally wooden.    4/10

The Man with the gun 1955

Starring: Robert Mitchum

A gunfighter in search of his estranged wife becomes lawman of a lawless town.

A reasonable Western with a well paced plot & a good set. The only problem is that this story has been seen 100 times before. Man single cleans up a town single handed. Worth  view though.      6/10

Plenty 1985

Starring: Meryl Streep

After World war 2, the career of a neurotic society woman has parallels with the problems of western Europe.

Meryl Streep is as usual, breathtakingly good. The first 45 mins are compelling, but the film never really gathers pace and drifts somewhat, changing in location and time with only tenuous links guiding the audience along. A strong cast helps the piece. It's a movie to be watched for the acting rather than the plot.   6/10

The Battleship Potemkin 1925

A partly fictitious account of the mutiny at Odessa, an episode in the 1905 revolution.

For entertainment in the 21st century, this is a non-starter. As a piece of cinematic history, this is fascinating. The classic scene on the steps at Odessa still shocks today. A masterpiece considering it's nearly 100 years old. I'd seen clips at the MOMI in London, but I urge anyone interested in cinema to see the whole piece.       5/10

The Man from Colarado 1949

Starring: Glenn Ford

A maladjusted civil war veteran becomes a western judge and rules by the gun.

A shell-shocked, megalomaniac goes on a killing spree under the flag of war & law.  Not a bad plot although a lot of routine bar and jail scenes. Ford showed his madness by opening his eyes a little wider, not the most convincing acting I've seen, I did feel he underplayed this role. But the plot moved along at a healthy pace and the ending was both eye-catching & satisfactory.       5/10

There's a girl in my soup 1970

Starring: Peter Sellers

A randy TV personality finds himself outplotted by a waif he picks up

A sex comedy of sorts. Sellers character is horribly slimy but he is as convincing as ever. Goldie Hawn looks great but actually looks too good when Sellers first meets her, she needed much more of a rough edge. The whole thing was just not very believable and only made me laugh once.       5/10

That Forsyte woman 1949

 Starring: Errol Flynn

The wife of an Edwardian man of property falls in love with her niece's fiancé.

Period drama focussing on love, marriage & betrayal. Nice to see Flynn playing against type, he never once came close to a smile. A slow moving piece but the whole thing worked with all actors remaining true to their characters.       7/10

Tomahawk 1951

Starring:  Van Heflin

An Indian scout helps the Sioux to get their territory rights.

A run of the mill Western with the Sioux basically shown in a far better light than the cavalry. An Indian sympathiser is advising the soldiers, but which side will he fight on should war erupt?

The usual rotten apples basically causing the conflict.

Not great acting & a bit preachy. As with most Westerns, the locations were fantastic and in the movie, the horses looked fabulously turned out!        5/10

Predator 2 1990

Starring: Danny Glover

A heavily armed alien killer visits Earth.

I gave this one point for some clever use of CGI. Other than that, this is tiresome & predictable. Constant use of machine guns from the first frame, mass drug related murder, swearing, shouting and mostly bad acting. The whole thing lacks originality and intelligence. It's not big and it's not clever!      1/10

Kiss of the spider woman 1985

Starring: William Hurt

Fantasies of two prisoners in a South American jail.

A real slow burner of a movie. About half way through, following a conversation between Hurt & the prison governor, you suddenly twig what's going on and what the first hour has all been about. It then becomes utterly absorbing. Darkness & silence are cleverly used to build the tension. I was a little disappointed with the ending but two superb acting performances were well worth seeing.       6/10

Moonrise 1948

Starring: Dane Clark

A murderer's son is driven into violence by memories and fears of his childhood.

Melodrama where a man fights the inner demons he's had to live with since his father was hung when he was a young boy. Memorable mainly for the imaginative use of lighting and some strong supporting, acting performances. A bit single paced, but certainly caught my imagination and kept my interest.     6/10

Stranger on the third floor 1940

Starring: Margaret Tallichet

A reporter finds that he was wrong in the well-intentioned testimony which helps convict an innocent man for murder.

At only an hour long, this is a bit like watching an episode of your favourite TV show. The lead characters are personable & Peter Lorre (Never a favourite of mine) is only briefly in the movie. A decent plotline although I found too much time was spent listening & seeing the reporters thoughts and dreams. Overall, a short film which was very easy on the eye. 6/10

Arsenic and old lace 1942

Starring: Cary Grant

Two dear, well-meaning old ladies invite lonely old men to their Brooklyn home, poison them with Elderberry wine, and have their mad brother, who believes the corpses are yellow fever victims, bury them in the cellar. A homicidal nephew then turns up with bodies of his own.

A story that to my mind sits better on the stage. I'd like to have seen some of the victims being poisoned, it would have made the piece darker. Some great characters, namely both the aunts and their relative who thinks he's Roosevelt. Cary Grant, usually so dependable, shouts his way through the film and is actually quite annoying. A classic story but not my favourite adaptation. 5/10

The Courage of Lassie 1946

Starring: Elizabeth Taylor

For the first 20 minutes, all you see is a dog messing about with a bear & some birds. All very cute & scenic but could have been 15 minutes shorter. Lassie is called Bill in this film, why wasn't he just called Lassie? He gets brought up by a young girl, gets run down by a truck & is then enscripted in the army where he saves lives. After suffering a stress disorder he almost gets put down but is saved by a rousing, morale boosting speech. Not bad, once it got going. 5/10

Superfly 1972

Starring: Ron O'Neal

The New York adventures of black cocaine pedlars.

Blaxplotation, drugs movie set against a 1970's elevator music soundtrack.

Somebody will probably tell me that this was true to life. It's all just a little tedious & obvious. Too many scenes where the soundtrack takes over and we're left watching stills or silent conversations.Admittedly, the ending is well thought out and there's not as much bad language and blood hsed as you often see. Not the worst type movie of this genre I've ever seen, but a story line that's oh so obvious and has been seen hundreds of times before. 4/10

Two thousand women 1944

Starring: Phyllis Calvert

Two pilots try to rescue British women from a French concentration camp.

The heading above is misleading as it's the women who are trying to help the pilots escape. Set in an internment camp in an ex-hotel in occupied France, this is a light-hearted movie where even death is treated with throw away one-liners. The film builds well, has an exciting climax and unashamed patriotism at the end, absolutely suitable for when it was made. I rather enjoyed this film. 7/10

The Big sky 1952

Starring: Kirk Douglas

In 1830 two Kentucky mountain men join an exploration up the Missouri and become preoccupied with Indian trouble.

Overlong, tedious Western that I never engaged with for one minute. 1/10

The Go-Between 1970

Starring: Julie Christie

Staying at a stately home around the turn of the century, 12 year old Leo carries love letters from a farmer to his friend's sister.

Slow moving piece which focuses on illicit meetings and a 12 year old boy learning about the birds and the bees. et with a typical English summer set with croquet & cricket on the lawns, you keep expecting this film to explode into action and it never quite happens. 5/10

The Green glove 1952

Starring: Glen Ford

A paratrooper against all odds returns a jewelled relic to its proper place in a French church.

A slightly confusing thriller with too many coincidences of people bumping into folk they'd seen the day before in a major city. It does have some good moments and some unexpected light comedy scenes that help the movie along. Worth a viewing. 4/10

The Bigamist 1953

Starring: Edmond O'Brien

A travelling salesman has two wives.

Pretty much what it says on the tin. The action is too single paced in both acting, speech & direction. The lead man seemed so dull, I wasn't sure how one woman would want to marry him, let alone two. Due to the title of the film & the fact that it was spelt out within about 10 minutes that this man was a bigamist, the film lacked tension. Having said that, there was something watchable about this film. 5/10

The Millionairess 1960

Starring: Peter Sellers

The richest woman in the World falls for a poor Indian doctor.

Every now & then, there is a delightful comedy moment, mostly from Sellers and many I suspect were ad-libs. Sophia Loren has her moments but I never bought her as the richest woman in the World. Considering this movie only lasts 90 mins, it dragged considerably. A bit of a disappointment. 3/10

The Silent enemy 1958

Starring: Laurence Harvey

The World war 2 exploits of a naval frogman in the Mediterranean.

Overlong wartime drama set in Gibraltar. Some of the exchanges between Crabb & the Admiral were enjoyable as was some lighthearted banter. Overall, the crucial drama was rather underplayed meaning that the film rather drifted along to an inevitable conclusion. Difficult to take Sid James seriously, even in this straight role. 5/10

The Children's hour 1961

Staring: Audrey Hepburn

A spoilt schoolgirl spreads a rumour that her schoolmistresses are lesbians.

Was Audrey Hepburn the greatest actress ever? The scenes between herself & Shirley Maclaine positively sizzle. Magnificent chemistry in a movie which in its time, was surely controversial. Several scenes are so well played, that you can cut the tension with a knife, you can feel what every character is going through and you just cannot take your eyes off the screen. Tasteful & yet moving throughout. I was utterly gripped. 10/10

Another 48 hours

Starring: Eddie Murphy

A cop enters into a partnership with a criminal to catch a drug dealer.

Yet another sequel that's not a patch on the original. A couple of reasonable scenes, othr than that, murder, violence, swearing, shouting & unpleasentness of the crudest kind.
A movie made for all the wrong reasons. 4/10

Paint your wagon 1969

Staring: Lee Marvin

During the California gold rush, two prospectors set up a Mormon menage with the same wife.

Bigamy, gold prospecting and the construction & destruction of a town. As musicals go, this is no classic, but this is all about Lee Marvin. A magnificent, colourful, underated 'Tour de force' 5/10

Things to come 1936

Starring: Raymond Massey

War in 1940 followed by plague, rebellion, a new glass-based society, and the first rocketship to the moon.

Interesting to see H G Wells vission of the future. It's easy to scorn 70 years on. The Wandering sickness was my personal favourite. Too much slow action set to music for my liking. Wells predictions were the focus on the film that never really found a viable plot. 3/10

That Hamilton woman 1941

Starring: Vivien Leigh

The affair of Lord Nelson and Emma Hamilton

Wordy tale of the love triangle, well actually love rectangle between William Hamilton, Lady Hamilton, Lord Nelson & Lady Nelson. Great performances by actors from the very top of the pile. The story was just a little uninteresting in this version, possibly because we all knew how it would end. Interesting however to see Nelson portrayed with a weakness. 5/10

Murphy's war 1971

Staring: Peter O'Toole

A torpedoed British merchantman in Venezuala devotes himself to bombing a U-boat from a home-made plane.

A boys own war adventure. O'Toole is his usual madcap self although it works in this movie. Sian Phillips counterbalances him in an underused straight role. The movie manages to hit a correct balance of humour, tension & action. If nothing else, I learnt just how big a torpedo is. Great fun! 8/10

The Boston strangler 1968

Starring: Tony Curtis

A semi-factual account of the sex maniac who terrified Boston in the mid-Sixties.

At first the occasional split-screen scenes and weird angle shots were distracting, but they grew on my a little. The movie plays in two parts. Firstly, a kind of whoddunit as the murders are carried out. Secondly, the investigation/interrogation. Curtis did a good job as the murderer. The film was at times compelling & moving in some ways. 6/10

Tiger bay 1959

Staring: Hayley Mills

A Polish seaman in Cardiff kills his faithless girl friend and kidnaps a child who proves more than a match for him.

Engaging, well paced thriller with well developed characters. John Mills is profficient if unspectacular. Buckholz is a little too likeable for a murderer but Hayley Mills is superb as the central character. She was surely one of the most consistent child actors.
Nice movie with an exciting conclusion. 7/10

School for scoundrels 1960

Staring: Ian Carmichael

A failure reports to the college of one-upmanship and his life is tranformed.

Not pleasant to watch at first with smarmy characters constantly hitting on the unfortunate Carmichael. Movie improves and becomes more humorous as Carmichael puts his lessons learnt into practice. If I'd heard the expression "Hard cheese" once more, I think I will have screamed.
Nice idea, but never really takes off. 5/10

The Left handed gun 1958

Starring: Paul Newman

Billy the kid sets out to shoot four men who have killed his friend.

Newman plays Billy the kid as an illiterate, vaguely psychotic individual grieving the one man who 'gave him a chance'.

There was a good contrast between the obsessed Kid & Pat Garrett. Billy the kid was portrayed as a very sad & lonely figure.

There have been many portrayals of Billy the Kid, this has to be near the top of the list. 8/10

The Howling 1980

Starring: Dee Wallace

A lady newscaster discovers that the medical retreat at which she stays to recover from a nervous breakdown is likely to give her another.

Crude werewolf story that jumps rather from scene to scene. This took a while to get to the main drama. Once it did, the special effects were impressive, but the horror was all a bit predictible.

A bit dull really. 4/10

Captain Horatio Hornblower RN 1951

Starring: Gregory Peck

Events from the adventure novels about a 19th-Century sailor who outwits the Spaniards and the French and marries his admiral's widow.

Schoolboy type seafaring adventures about this famous captain. Well shot in nice tongue in cheek style. Interesting to see James Robertson Justice actually acting a part rather than just barking out lines. A movie that was very easy on the eye. 8/10

Flying deuces 1939

Starring: Laurel & Hardy

Laurel & Hardy join the foreign legion

Laurel & Hardy were the masters of farce. So why are their movies never as funny as their 20 minute shorts? This movie has the occassional moment, but the funny scenes are too far apart and the movie was just a little too pedestrian.
This made me smile, rather than laugh. I'll stick with the shorts I think. 5/10

Rain 1932

Starring: Joan Crawford

Stranded passengers in Pago Pago during an epidemic include a prostitute and a missionary who lusts after her.

An early version of the Sadie Thompson story. The clash of constant dialogue, lack of movement & incessent rain grates on the nerves somewhat.Now very dated & not particularly interesting. 2/10

Play Dirty 1969

Staring: Michael Caine

During World War 2, a squad of ex-criminals is given the job of destroying an enemy oil depot in North Africa.

A desert war movie with shades of Kelly's heroes. Caine is not too bad in a role where thankfully, he doesn't shout too much. One question, wht does he wear eye liner throughout this film? Overall, the movie lacked pace and didn't really build the tension. Worth watching for the ending, an absolute classic. 6/10

Sugarland express 1974

Staring: Goldie Hawn

A convict's wife persuades him to escape because their baby is being adopted, and they inadvertantly leave behind them a trail of destruction, ending in tragedy.

An early Steven Speilberg movie based on a true story. Beautifully made showing the class of the director, this is a fugitive, road movie. Nice to see Goldie Hawn not playing a dipsy air-head. Shades of the Blues Brothers with some of the car chases & crashes. Well crafted script ensuring you truely care for the characters. 6/10

The Undefeated 1969

Staring: John Wayne

After the civil war, two colonels from opposite sides meet on the Rio Grande.

John Wayne would have been 100 this year. I've never been a fan but took in this movie as my tribute. He's actually used sparingly and works really well in conjunction with Rock Hudson. It's a sweeping, locational saga with a great look & great soundtrack. It has a nice mixture of plot, action & humour and the fct that it's so charatcer driven makes the whole thing more memorable. I really liked it and to me, this was a mature Wayne and one of his best performances. 7/10

Imitation of life 1959

Starring: Lana Turner

Glossy remake of an actress whose black maid has a tragic life because her daughter posses for white.

A melodramatic Hollywood saga. Brilliant acting by all the cast, but particularly Juanita Moore make this a compelling piece. The ageing process is realistically portrayed & you really feel a sense of time passing. The race issue is sensitively handled and makes you ashamed to be human. An epic movie, at the end, if you think back to the opening scene on the beach, it seems a lifetime away. 9/10

The Romantic Englishwoman 1975

Starring: Michael Caine

A discontented woman, holidaying at Baden Baden, falls in love with a stranger while her husband completes a novel on the same theme.

This is a movie that simmers beautifully under the surface, Berger & Jackson are spot on, unfortunately, Caine ruins many of his scenes by shattering the tension with his shouting in an annoying voice. Probably, better for a play rather than a movie. 5/10

Please Sir 1971

Starring: John Alderton

The masters and pupils of Fenn Street school go on an annual camp.

Dated, politically incorrect big screen version of this TV show. All the pupils look about 30 years old. Alderton & Derek Guyler have terrific comedy timing and it is worth watching for that. Generally uninspiring but did have some laugh out loud moments. 5/10

Meet me in St Louis 1944

Starring: Judy Garland

Scenes in the life of an affectionate family at the turn of the century.

This movie is full of amusing, likeable characters and catchy songs. You genuinely feel that all the people like each other. Occassionally, it went off the rails, usually with the sweet youngest sister. But nice comic timing and a harmlessl, likeable script made this an enjoyable watch.

The River 1951

Episodes in the life of a small English community living on the banks of the Ganges.

An old fashioned tale from a time that seems a Million years away from our modern World.This is moralistic teachings and adolescent stories of first love with three young ladies all falling for the same one legged man. There's a lot of narration which at times seems rather intrusive and the acting is frankly no better than average. There are however, fabulous unmanipulated shots of the Ganges and everyday life that takes place on and around that great river. No classic, but interesting due to its unique difference. 4/10

Le Beau Mariage 1981

Staring: Beatrice Ronand

An art student abandons her many affairs and announces her intention of getting married, but her intended proves reluctant...

A subtitled film although this didn't detract at all. Sabine is a particularly annoying character who borders on being a stalker, I wouldn't want to be with her in a locked room. The film is very natural in its style, delivery and setting, does it always rain in Le Mans? Some annoying characters but a quietly compelling story. 7/10

Danger within 1958

Starring: Richard Todd

Escape plans of officers in a prisoner-of-war camp are threatened by an informer.

I always enjoy a good escape drama and this is right up there with the best. Unusually set in an Italian POW camp, this is well paced with a nicely though out plot. A couple of slight niggles. I though the informant was revelaed too early and I never felt that this mans motivation was explained. Minor quibbles in a great movie. 10/10

Some like it hot 1959

Starring: Jack Lemmon

Two unemployed musicians accidentally witness the st Valentine's day masacre and flee to Miami disguised as girl musicians.

I'd seen loads of clips before but never the whole movie. It is perfectly cast, Lemmon & Curtis have great comic timing and some hilarious one liners to deliver. Monroe was as good as I ever saw her and sings some great numbers. It's often referred to as the greatest comedy of all time, I wouldn't give it that accoldae but it is still a classic well worth seeing. 7/10

Corridors of blood 1958

Starring: Boris Karloff

Seeking to discover anaesthetics, a Victorian doctor falls prey to a resurrection man.

This movie is on the edge of horror but just resists from moving into that genre. The fact that it remains more plot ridden certainly increases the interest. There are nicely created seedy London locations, the whole piece is very well costumed and there are some decidedly unlikeable & dispicable characters. One of the more watchable of Karloff's movies. 6/10

Spaceballs 1987

Starring: Mel Brooks

A ruthless race is out to steal the air supply from the planet Druidia.

You know what you're going to get with a Mel Brooks film. If you throw in as many jokes as he does, some are bound to hit the mark. This grew on me enormously and was played in exactly the right spirit. It never for one minute pretended to be anything other than a spoof and with it not being over long, got it just about right. 7/10

The Pirate 1948

Starring: Gene Kelly

In a West Indian port, a girl imagines that a wandering player is a famous pirate, who in fact is her despised and elderly suitor.

Gene Kelly & Judy Garland, on paper, what a combination! But I'm afraaid I just never bought into this, there's no chemistry between the two stars and infact I found Kelly's character really annoying. A couple of good songs but very little else to impress me. 4/10

The Vicious circle 1957

Starring: John Mills

An actress is found dead in Dr Latimer's flat and the weapon turns up in the boot of his car.....

An entertaining plot driven murder mystery filled with plenty of twists & turns. The story is so entertaining that you don't really notice the acting. An amusing little yarn that keeps you guessing all the way through. 8/10

Arabesque 1966

Starring: Gregory Peck

An Oxford professor is asked by middle Eastern oil magnates to decipher a hieroglyphic, and finds afterwards that he is marked for assassination.

This is like a long episode of the Avengers. Extraordinary, excessive use of camera shots using reflection & unnecessary, moody lighting. Gregory Peck is not at his best & Sophia Loren....looks nice. This was so bad that it almost became good. 4/10

Retreat hell 1952

Starring: Frank Lovejoy

Adventures of a marine unit in the Korean war.

A standard war film, but one which focuses on the Marines feelings & insecurities as well as the action. For this to work, you have to care about the characters. The Commander grows on you & the captain comes through, but the undoubted star is the young McDermott who gives a lovely nieve performance. There's lots of action & explosion and although it's a bit dated and cheesily patriotic at the end, it's not at all bad. 6/10

The Slipper and the rose 1976

Starring: Richard Chamberlain

The story of Cinderella

I love pantomime! This is the story of Cinderella portrayed on the big screen. It's lavish, colourful with good song & dance. It amused me as well with Michael Hordern and Annette Crosbie my pick of the actors. This was my kind of movie and I loved it. 9/10

High hopes 1988

Starring: Philip Davis

A family of contrasting types gather to celebrate their mothers birthday.

This movie is all about charachterisation. It's a quirky look at a family, their friends and neighbours in London and is actually really sad in places but also has some touching moments. Edna Dore as the mother who's just letting life go on around her is wonderful as is her daughter in law Shirley. The stray traveller from Bagshot and the snooty neighbours are too over the top and just didn't come across as at all realistic. Never gets too far as amovie but when it is downplayed, it's brilliant. 6/10

The Misfits 1961

Starring: Marilyn Monroe

Cowboys gather in the Nevada desert to rope wild mustangs, and a divorcee becomes involved with one of them.

This movie will always be remembered as the last made by both Monroe & Clark Gable who both died shortly after its completion. Monroe fittingly plays a completely screwed up girl whilst Gable, well, he's the same as always. The scenes with the mustangs are very effective and slightly disturbing whilst Thelma Ritter livens up the early moments. It's fascinating to watch for its notoriety, otherwise it's a unmemorable rather sad melodrama. 6/10

Pygmalian 1938

Starring: Leslie Howard

A Professor of phonetics takes a bet that he can turn a cockney flower seller in six months into a lady who can pass as a duchess.

A nice adaptation of a classic tale. The Covent garden scenes although clearly shot on a set, are wonderful. Leslie Howard is utterly disagreable as Higgins whilst Wendy Hiller is superb as Eliza Doolittle. This part must be difficult enough to play, but she not only changes the way she talks, she also changed the way she walked, looked and even thought. Hiller was so impressive that the movie lost pace every time she was off screen. 7/10

Cattle empire 1958

Starring: Joel McCrea

A trail boss out of prison gets a new assignment and signs up helpers who had previously made life difficult for him.

An enemy of the town is 2 horse drags away from death until saved by an unlikely source, he is then hired to lead a cattle drive which will save the town from financial ruin. During this drive, the true events of the past come to light. A watchable yarn which has some truely dodgy acting with the exception of McCrea. Lots of continuity errors, my favourite being when a blind man is told that the stars are out when all you can see is thick cloud cover. An instantly forgetable but harmless movie. 5/10

The Bravados 1958

Starring: Gregory Peck

A widower chases four killers who, he believes, raped and murdered his wife.

Peck is a man of few words in this movie but is actually quite effective. Joan Collins was a great actress when she was young but had little to do here. This is a downbeat western with a lengthy manhunt and a twist which I certainly never saw coming. The town has a huge church which looked like the inside of Westminster Abbey & was a bit out of keeping with the rest of the town. A slow moving but compelling western. 8/10

Boys night out 1962

Starring: Kim Novak

Three married men and their bachelor friend share a flat and a 'mistress'

This looked and sounded like a slightly racier episode of the TV series 'Bewitched'. Totally studio based and in this modern age, not raunchy whatsoever. James Garner was always at his best in quirky comedies such as this, in fact all the cast showed great comic timing. A couple of hours of harmless, frothy fun. 7/10

Boy on a dolphin 1957

Starring: Alan Ladd

A Greek girl diver discovers a sunken artifact of great value and the news spreads to an American archaeologist and an unscrupulous collector.

The nice thing about seeing lots of films is the different views of the World that you see. This movie had great views of several Greek islands. This was a matinee type story which was harmless enough but took forever to reach its conclusion. It could have comfortably lost 20 minutes. Sophia Loren Sizzled, danced and sang. If only you could understand what she was saying half the time. 6/10

The Snows of Kilimanjaro 1952

Starring: Gregory Peck

A hunter lies wounded in Africa and while waiting for help loooks back over his lifes and loves.

I'm afraid that I hate movies with flashbacks, they so rarely work for me. This film started off like a nature film, I kept expecting David Attenborough to walk out. This is an incredibly wordy film with moody lighting, morbid reminicising and large quantiteis of drinks being 'fixed'. I'm afraid I found the whole thing deadly dull. 2/10

The Flame of New Orleans 1941

Starring: Marlene Dietrich

A European adventuress settles in America.

Dietrich plays a smouldering, sultry love-torn Countess in the sort of role that made her famous. This film is at its best when Dietrich was sparring with sailor Carbot who made a great foil for her. The comedy scenes were a bit thin and dated and the plot was a little thin, however, it was interesting to see this star in full bloom. 5/10

Lord of the flies 1963

After a plane crash, a party of English schoolboys are stranded on an uncharted tropical island and gradually turn savage.

Thiis was one of the few books I studied at school and enjoyed. This adaptation just seemed really dated. the fact that it was in black & white didn't help and the TV series 'Lost' has taken desert island stories to a new level. I'd love to see this story done really well, but although the kids acting improved as the movie went on, it was all abit staged and disjointed. This story has a message to us all which is more relevant now than ever. But like Jack, so many people are not listening. 4/10

Ladies of the chorus 1949

Starring: Marilyn Monroe

A Broadway burlesque queen falls for a socialite

Interesting, as this was Marilyn Monroe's first principal role. This was a movie with some scenes I really liked & others which were plain tiresome. Marilyn Monroe was excellent with a lovely understated performance, the actress playing her future Mother-in-law was also good. The decorator and his kid side-kick were possibly the most annoying characters I've ever seen in any film. However, at 60 minutes long, this movie showed that you can still tell a story without having to book a day off work. 5/10

They rode West 1954

Starring: Robert Francis

A Cavalry doctor at a frontier fort gets into trouble trying to help the Indians

This was a bit like watching a wild West episode of Casualty. As usual with most Westerns, it was spot on with its locations and costumes. I'm not sure I quite bought the whole white girl/Squa thing. But the doctor, Captain and supporting cast were all great.
Predictible but great fun. 8/10

The Good die young 1954

Starring: Laurence Harvey

Four crooks, all with private problems, set out to rob a mail van.

I have to say, I wouldn't have kept in the first scene which shows the four men on their way to the robbery. It removed any element of surprise & I found myself waiting for this scene to happen which somewhat distracted from the plot. This was actually quite well acted although it was amusing to hear the rather dated 'clipped' tones of the actors. An enjoyable film with an exciting finale..

Three coins in the fountain 1954

Starring: Clifton Webb

Three American girls find Romance in Rome

A gentle romance set in Rome. It's a bit dated now but easy on the eye. A slow moving movie which does however give some gorgeous views of the Italian capital. 5/10

Sky west and crooked 1965

Starring: Hayley Mills

A Mentally retarded girl falls in love with a gypsy.

I don't think I've ever seen a movie, so much of which is set in a graveyard. Haymey Mills is terrific, but the real star is the west country setting & scenery. The parson, although rather stereotypical, is played beautifully and sets the whole think off. This movie was both funny and tragic as well as thought provoking. Who was really at fault for the young lads death & were the grudges just hiding the guilt? 9/10

City beneath the sea 1953

Starring: Robert Ryan

Deep sea divers fall out over a sunken treasure

Robert Ryan and Anthony Quinn combine well in a good mixture of comedy & action. I must say, I expected to actually see a living city beneath the sea and felt slightly short-changed. Some of the underwater clips were over long, the best moments were when the stars were together on land, I absolutely loved the bar fight scene with the band frantically accompanying the fracas. 5/10

Raw deal 1986

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger

An ex-FBI man is recruited to infiltrate Chicago's biggest mob.

Unashamed star vehicle for Arnie. Completely unrealistic, no cop would behave like him. Poor acting & not a great script with everything just oh so obvious. Some reasonable one-liners were lost with desperate timing & delivery. A watchable enough movie but instantly forgetable. 5/10

The Man in grey 1943

Starring: Margaret Lockwood

In Regency times, an aristocratic girl's love for her less fortunate friend is repaid by jealousy, treachery & murder.

A gripping melodrama that positively oozed Hollywood quality. Any dodgy lighting or poor small part performances were forgiven by 4 sterling leading performances. Lockwood was so charismatic, you couldn't take your eyes off her. Mason gave an intense, loyal performance. Phyllis Calvert pitched it just right as the jealous, scheming seductress & Grainger made a dashing lover & all round good guy. Slightly dated, but a joy. 8/10

The Reckless moment 1949

Starring: James Mason

A woman accidently kills her daughter's would-be-seducer, and is then trailed by a blackmailer.

A well paced thriller with Joan Bennett pitching it exactly right. I often feel films are overlong, if anything, this was too short. I never really found myself noticing Mason softening towards Bennett, it just suddenly happened. Having said that, this movie was slightly dated but is still a gripping watch. Oh, and as a footnote, everyone could do with 'Help' like Sybil. 8/10

Permission to kill 1970

Starring: Dirk Bogarde

British agents try to stop a communist returning home from the West.

A very good cast unfortunately were off colour and actually looked thoroughly bored with the exception of Timothy Dalton who was actually a delight. Attractive setting lightened the mood somewhat, but the plot was too complicated, single paced and I frankly never cared about the characters. Although it all ties up at the end, this movie was instantly forgetable. 4/10

Puppet on a chain 1970

Starring: Sven Bertil Taube

An American Interpol agent hunts down drug smugglers in Amsterdam.

You know that you're always going to get a tight thriller with Alistair Maclean. Although this is one of his lesser known novels, it came across as a well paced, sometimes brutal movie with all the classic ingredients. Twists, red herrings, murder and a superb boat chase that James Bond would do ell to match. The little known actors actually did a very fair job in an engrossing film. 8/10

Cohen and Tate 1988

Starring: Roy Scheider

Two hit men kidnap a boy who witnessed a gangland murder.

This is a road movie with all the usual cliches pulled out. There's interesting use of light and camera angles and the young boy acts well. Other than that, I found this to be a poor script, an implausable plot with several gaffs and plot holes. The business with Scheiders hearing aid is touched on for a minute or two and then completely ignored again failing to develop his character. The pity is that there's no chemistry between Cohen & Tate, this was essential for this movie to work. 4/10

Metropolis 1926

In the year 2000, the workers in a modernistic city live underground and unrest is quelled by the persuassion of a saintly girl, Maria; but a mad inventor creates an evil Maria to incite them to revolt.

A silent film that is particularly long for its genre. It's actually very dated and hard work to watch. It is however, hugely impressive for its time. I think I'll put it down as an interesting piece of history and leave it at that.

Journey to the center of the Earth 1959

Starring: Pat Boone

An Edinburgh professor and assorted colleagues follow an explorer's trail down an extinct Icelandic volcano to the earth's centre.

This is not my favourite of Verne's work. It's a slightly odd version with comic undertones and the occasional musical number. It could be considered as a bit of a forerunner to Indianna Jones with disasters at every turn, canabalistic dinosaurs and big rolling stones. It lacked a bit of pace but is a harmless enough yarn.

The Day the Earth stood still 1951

A flying saucer arrives in Washington and its alien occupant, aided by a robot, demonstrates his intellectual and physical power, warns the World what will happen if wars continue and departs.

Slightly dated but fast paced thriller which gets to the action right from the first frame. Hollywood belief that any UFO will land in the US capital aside, this was an intriguing concept with interesting observations of Human behaviour. This was actually way ahead of its time. If only humanity would listen to alien 'Mr Carpenters' closing message. 9/10