Captain Kidd 1945

Starring: Charles Laughton

A pirate tricks King William iii into giving him Royal orders, but enemies he believes dead return to see him hanged.

I wonder whether Jonny Depp got any of his inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow from Laughton's performance? In many ways & particularly in voice, they are very similar. This film is all about Laughton. His slightly camp & under played amusing performance is really the only thing worth watching. The script is fairly poor, the location virtually non-existent and Randolph Scott is wooden although it was nice to see him not sat on a horse in a cowboy hat. 6/10

The Wackiest ship in the army 1960

Starring: Jack Lemmon

In the South Pacific during World war ii a decrepit sailing ship with an inexperienced crew manages to confuse Japanese patrols and land a scout behind enemy lines.

A nice idea but did not come off for me. Some occasional good moments but the wacky ship and crew were not nearly wacky enough for me. Jack Lemmon is a brilliant actor and his comedy timing was as usual, up to scratch. He was just left with a clumsy, slightly lightweight script that at times seemed to get confused as to whether it was outright comedy, sentimental comedy/drama or war film. 4/10

Millions like us 1943

Starring: Patricia Roc

The tribulations of a family in wartime, especially of the meek daughter who goes into war work and marries an airman, who is killed.

A war film which focuses mainly on the women, in this case based at a factory making parts for aircraft. A ridiculously young Gordon Jackson played the love interest. This was watchable but held no surprises as th scenes made you smile but also produced a sadness & tragedy. As always, movies like this have a historical fascination. 6/10

There's no Business like show business 1954

Starring: Ethel Merman

The life and times of a family of vaudevillians

Typical Holywood musical centring around the multi-talented Donohue family. The routines were very slick and the singing good, it just became a little too similar after a while. The lives of the children became the most interesting aspect of the film and there was a satisfactory ending. The performances were good with the exception of Marilyn Monroe who was hopelessly mis-cast. Quite a feel good affair. 5/10

Night of the Eagle 1961

Starring: Peter Wyngarde

At a medical school, a jealous witch sets an evil force on her rival.

A quite well made witchcraft, black magic story. The characters are believable and the locations excellent. You can' deny that this is far-fetched, I just felt that the story needed a bit more consideration to flesh it out so that all the loose ends tied together & we understood the motivation. Nice ending though! 6/10

Bus Stop 1956

Starring: Marilyn Monroe

In a Rodeo town, a simple-thinking cowboy meets a cafe singer and asks her to marry him.

A simple plot but a movie filled with likeable characters. Monroe pitches it just about right but the real star is Don Murray. His boyish enthusiasm & un-realised manly looks are brilliantly exploited. I found the whole thing to be great fun. 8/10

Half shot at sunrise 1930

Starring: Bert Wheeler

Allegedly one of the best representations of a star comedy duo who went into a decline after 1932.

The comedy story of 2 POW soldiers in Paris chasing girls and causing mayhem. One of them ends up dating the General's daughters and finds himself trying to get crucial orders through to the front line. Not a comedy duo I've ever heard of. This was surprisingly slick & amusing in places. A witty script and a lead duo with good timing. Even a couple of songs thrown in, this was dated but quite good fun. 6/10

Force of evil 1948

Starring: John Garfield

A racketeer's lawyer finds that his boss has killed the lawyer's brother

I don't really get on with film noir. As well as this film has been made & as classy as the acting is, it just seemed ever so dull. Too much dialogue, not enough movement and no light or shade. Difficult to follow because my mind kept wandering. 3/10

Aces high 1976

Starring: Malcom McDowell

In the air force during World War 1, young pilots are needlessly sacrificed.

Utterly brilliant. The special effects and dog fights are thrilling, but more important than that, a brilliant atmosphere is created. A real team spirit with typical stiff upper lipness although several poignant moments when you can see the despair & tragedy in the pilots eyes. I do wish Malcom McDowell wasn't always dysfunctional in some way in his movies, but his characterisation was top drawer. 9/10

The Spanish main 1945

Starring: Paul Henreid

In the Caribbean, the fiancee of the Spanish viceroy is kidnapped by a pirate who determines to tame her before marrying her.

A bit of swash and buckle with likeable characters. Nicely done with tongue in cheek and that light -hearted air makes all the difference. Good fun. 7/10

Lady in a cage 1964

Starring: Olivia De Havilland

A rich widow is trapped by roving marauders in her private elevator

Talk about having a bad day! Lady trapped in a cage like elevator first has to put up with a wino, then a female hustler & then 3 hoodlums rampage through her house. Well directed and quite well acted although the movie is full of deeply unpleasant characters. Best advert I've ever seen for a Stannha stairlift. 7/10

The Rains of Ranchipur 1955

Starring: Lana Turner

Remake of 'The Rains came'

A romantic melodrama with a bunch of self-centred, selfish people who can't see beyond the end of their lit cigarette. The whole thin livens up when the rains & earthquake come with the effects quite good. Star studded cast is adequate & although Richard Burton is a brilliant actor, he looked ridiculous as an Indian doctor in a turban. Just a bit too Hollywood in its production and casting. 6/10

The captive heart 1946

Starring: Michael Redgrave

Stories of life among British officers in a German POW camp, especially of a Czech who has stolen the papers of a dead Britisher.

Slow moving, sentimental, nostalgic piece that seems Worlds away from modern society. Occasionally hits the spot with the story of the Czech officer holding the most interest. Gordon Jackson played the blind officer with his usual skill. 6/10

Ill met by moonlight 1956

Starring: Dirk Bogarde

In Crete during the German occupation, British agents work with partisans to capture a German general.

It's always good to see Dirk Bogarde & you don't find too many movies set on Crete. Unfortunately, although not terrible, this film never reaches the level it could have. There is no tension, events seem to take an age to develop and it's all just a bit lacklustre. A lot of humour is attempted, not a bad thing but I feel the director should have concentrated more on the plot & action. 5/10

Holiday on the busses 1973

Starring: Reg Varney

3rd movie from the popular TV series. A laugh here or there but the movie fails as there's no on-going plot line. Blakey has to be one of the most irritating central characters ever although the other stars and their family members have an endearing quality about them. A nice trip down memory lane. 5/10

Hangman's knot 1952

Starring: Randolph Scott

Confederate soldiers returning home with Union booty are waylaid at a way station by renegades

A fairly short movie tht starts quite well with the capture of the gold. Unfortunately, once they are held up in the cabin, it gets terribly bogged down and seems to run out of ideas. The ending is fairly inevitible and most of the action is carried out in pitch darkness. 4/10

The Lion has wings 1939

Starring: Merle Oberon

A documentary drama tracing the steps leading up to the outbreak of war.

Propaganda in its day, now ideal I would imagine for a history lesson in school. Interesting from a historical point of view but hugely dated. Should really only be used now for archive purposes and is certainly not a piece of entertainment. 3/10

Designing woman 1957

Starring: Gregory Peck

A sports reporter marries a dress designer and finds that their common interests are few.

A comedy which misses the mark and is overlong. I find the talking heads tiresome and the plot was very slow moving. The fight scene at the end with the balletic actor taking every one out was a great scene and the movie was worth watching through for that. 3/10

Santa Fe 1951

Starring: Randolph Scott

After the civil war, the eldest of four westbound brothers tries to prevent the others from becoming outlaws.

I have a theory that all movies set on or around trains are quite entertaining. This was not the best, but still rattled along at a fair pace as Randolph Scott helped build the Santa Fe railroad with drama along the way. Some nice light hearted moments & some good action. 6/10

THX 1138 1970

Starring: Robert Duvall

In a future society, computer programmed and emotionless, an automated human begins to break the rules.

If you like white costumes on a white set, then this is the movie for you. Quite odd in a lot of ways and only got interesting for me in the last 20 minutes. A bit of background and explanation before the start could have made all the difference. 3/10

Lt Robin Crusoe USN

Starring: Dick Van Dyke

A navy pilot parachutes on to a Pacific Island and gets involved in the local women's lib movement.

Typical Disney comedy in the 'Herbie' mould. With such a great location and attractive girls, you can't help but like it and Dick Van Dyke is perfect for the role. Great for a wet weekend.      6/10

The Silver bears 1977

Starring: Michael Caine

A Las Vegas money man invests money in various European outlets and makes a killing.

If only the production had been as stunning as the locations. The first half of this movie was as laborious as beyond belief & the scene at the Swiss restaurant had the worst editing I've seen for a long time. Fortunately, the movie picked up once the Luckman's arrived despite some dodgy acting throughout. Michael Caine brought nothing original to a performance I've seen him give dozens of times.             5/10

David and Bathsheba 1951

Starring: Gregory Peck

King David loves the wife of one of his captains, and ensures that the latter is killed in battle.

Old testament story, this is terribly talkative to start with and the orchestra should have been paid overtime. Once you get into the consequences of David's affair with Bathsheba, it becomes more interesting although it's very single paced throughout.          5/10

The Lion in Winter 1968

Starring: Peter O'Toole

Henry 11 and Eleanor of Aquitaine celebrate Christmas together and have a family row.

Over long drama with plots, sub-plots, treason and feuding. Too talkative and never really gets anywhere. Having said that Peter O'Toole is excellent & Katherine Hepburn is an absolute joy, this movie is worth seeing for that reason alone.     4/10 

Welcome to Hard Times 1967

Starring: Henry Fonda

A small Western town arms itself against a mysterious bandit.

Off-beat Western set in a town that spends most of its time smouldering having been burnt town. I found that I wanted to know who the bandit was & where his motivation came from. Basically, a character driven movie that I just found a little tedious.       4/10

The Wooden horse 1950

Starring: Leo Genn

During World war 11, British prisoners escape from Stalag Luft 111 by tunnelling under a vaulting horse.

Iconic story & worth seeing for that alone. I found it a bit dated, lacking in tension and very single paced. Considering this was a true story, I have nothing but admiration for these people and I'm sure the tension missing from this film was not missing from their escape.      5/10

Tarzan the ape man 1932

Starring: Johnny Weismuller

First talkie of the Tarzan series. An excellent movie that still stands up now with great effects and genuine locations. Weismuller was the definitive Tarzan & Maureen O'Sullivan was the perfect foil, both of them were ridiculously good looking at this time. Great fun.       7/10

The War wagon 1967

Starring: John Wayne

Two cowboys and an Indian plan to ambush the gold wagon of a crooked mining contractor.

Formula Western. John Wayne always played the same character but sometimes a partnership just hits it off & he is splendid with Kirk Douglas. Some nice supporting characters and a light, witty script help bowl this along.       7/10

Night Moves 1975

Starring: Gene Hackman

A private eye is engaged to find a runaway teenager.

Gene Hackman with a dodgy moustache, looks like a porn star and the music also has that feel at times. This movie starts slowly and you wonder where it's going. But the characterisations are brilliant particularly by Hackman & Jennifer Warren. The movie at some point, grabs your interest, hooks you in and has an unexpected, explosive finish. A real, slow burner.         7/10

A Fistful of dynamite 1971

Starring: Rod Steiger

In 1913, a Mexican bandit and an ex-IRA explosives expert join forces to rob a bank.

Typical Sergio Leone fayre, is there any other kind? Rod Steiger is terrific, James Coburn creates a marvelous character and the music is spot on. As Spaghetti Westerns go, it's not bad, but you need to give yourself time to sit & enjoy it as it's very long. My only problem were the flashback scenes that never quite worked.           4/10

The Flamingo kid 1984

Starring: Matt Dillon

In 1963, a teenager comes of age while working at a beach club.

Billed as a romantic comedy, it never made me laugh and wasn't particularly romantic. It was watchable though, Matt Dillon was engaging and personable and Hector Elizondo as his father lifted every scene he was in. A bit like a frothy drink that looks great but doesn't have a lot of substance.        6/10   

Oliver 1968

Starring: Ron Moody

A musical version of Oliver Twist

A very well known version of this story but the first time I'd seen the whole film. Lavish, brilliantly choreographed, fabulous locations and songs that never miss the mark. Some of the acting misses the mark where as performances particularly by Moody & Reed are quite magnificent.        9/10

The Thief 1952

Starring: Ray Milland

A nuclear physicist is on the run from the FBI, who suspect him of being a spy.

Bizarre decision to make a full length movie with no dialogue whatsoever. At times, there's no dialogue seemingly only because, that's what the director had decided to do. Strange decision with any interest only being supplied by knowing looks and atmospheric music. Desperately dull.         1/10

Of Human bondage 1946

Starring: Paul Henreid

Good-looking but thoroughly dull remake

Henreid is the medial student with an odd accent who falls for a lower class waitress and becomes infatuated & obsessive towards her. To be honest, it was him who came over as creepy and slightly deranged and I couldn't quite see why his adopted family became so fond of him. Over-long but still watchable.    6/10

Tunes of glory 1960

Starring: Alec Guinness

The new disciplinarian CO of a highland regiment crosses swords with his lax, hard drinking predecessor.

For the second week running I've found myself watching a Scottish themed movie. Set almost entirely in a barracks, this is the story of to men clashing over the running of a regiment. Both men are clearly traumatised by their wartime experiences although this is only briefly referred to. Guinness is superb as the overbearing, outgoing commander with his Scottish accent as authentic as they come, what an actor! John Mills is the perfect foil, another brilliant, angst ridden performance. Superb back up by all the other actors, this is a little gem.    8/10

The Kidnappers 1953

Starring: Duncan Macrae

In a Nova Scotian village at the turn of the century a stern old man denies his young grandchildren a pet, so they borrow a baby and hide it in the woods.

Set in a Scottish community in Nova Scotia. This starts as a dispute over who owns the land on a hill and ends with one of the young children in court over kidnapping a baby. Not a good example as a movie, inbred prejudice passed on to innocent children and petty squabbles where nobody will compromise. A little dour, but watch-able with a score that always lets you know what's about to happen.        5/10

Before winter comes 1968

Starring: David Niven

Austria 1945; A British major in charge of displaced persons is helped and hindered by a cheerful Yugoslav refugee who turns out to be a Russian deserter.

Filmed in beautiful Austrian scenery, Niven is fine as a stuffy major whilst Topal verges on charismatic as the interpreter. The problem is that this movie is a little single paced. It takes ages to see where this film is going & although the ending is moving, the groundwork has not pulled enough strings to make the ending dramatic enough. Probably would be better as a book.      4/10

The Sword and the rose 1952

Starring: Richard Todd

The romantic problems of young Mary Tudor.

A light-hearted drama with lavish settings & bright colours, typically Disney. Richard Todd is suitably suave & debonair, Glynis Johns as Mary is full of spirit and delightful, James Robertson Justice when he underplayed his role of Henry v111 was fine but whenever he tried to portray any emotion, he just shouted, typical of this one dimensional actor. Harmless enough movie.      5/10

A Shock to the system 1990

Starring: Michael Caine

Passed over for promotion and bored by his wife, a marketing executive turns to murder to resolve his difficulties.

Unoriginal black comedy where a man finds ingenious ways to get away with murder. Caine's performance is incredibly one-paced except for one scene in his bosses office; I'm guessing he was supposed to be cool and calculating, I found it a bit like wading through treacle. Most of the cast looked bored and only occasional scenes brought this to life. The whole murder idea was supposed to have been triggered after Caine had an electric shock. That idea kind of summed up the whole movie.        5/10

Cromwell 1970

Starring: Richard Harris

An account of the rise of Cromwell to power, the execution of Charles 1, and the civil war.

Certainly taught me a little more of Britain's history although it was too wordy to be compelling. Very well acted with Richard Harris & Alec Guinness exemplary in their performances.      5/10

The Woman in question 1949

Starring: Jean Kent

Police investigating a woman's death build up several different impressions of her.

Simple, single paced  whodunit, this must have been great fun for the actors who got to play their characters from several different angles. The usually rock solid Dirk Bogarde gave possibly the weakest performance that I've ever seen from him. But this kept me guessing right up until the end.      6/10

We dive at dawn 1943

Starring: John Mills

World war ii adventures of a British submarine disabled in the Baltic.

This starts of as alight hearted tale of sailors on leave but ends as a suspenseful submarine drama. Nicely plotted movie with good battle scenes and characters that you care about. Not overly memorable but nicely done.     6/10

Interrupted melody 1955

Starring: Eleanor Parker

The story of Marjorie Lawrence, an Australian opera singer who fell victim to Polio

Well told biopic. Eleanor Parker is engaging in an oscar worthy performance. Glenn Ford is a perfect underplayed foil and Roger Moore is mis-cast and awkward, but hey, you can't have everything. Parker's performance is so real that you genuinely believe her illness is real and you can't help but urge her on. I've never been a lover of opera o the singing did get on my nerves. But that's just personal preference, I'm sure it was fabulous for fans.       6/10

Distant drums 1951

Starring: Gary Cooper

In 1840 Florida, an army officer rescues prisoners from an Indian fort and decimates the Seminoles who threaten their return journey.

A single paced Western lacking any real drama or excitement. The acting is poor and the direction at times bemusing. On occasions you wonder whether you're watching a wildlife documentary with swooping Eagles, slithering snakes and exotic birds. The scene where a guy is supposedly mauled by an alligator is hilarious as it's so fake. Not great.       4/10

The Holcroft covenant

Starrring: Michael Caine

One of the architects of Hitler's Third Reich leaves a bequest wich may fall into the wrong hands.

Single paced thriller with Michael Caine playing a German born architect who has lived in New York since he was a baby and sounds like Michael Caine. The script is cliched, the acting is extremely poor and the attempted humour falls way wide of the mark. Only the press conference at the end that neatly ties up the ends saves this movie. Not Michael Caine's finest hour.     4 /10

Invitation to a gunfighter 1964

Starring: Yul Bruyner

A small-town tyrant hires a smooth gunfighter to keep down the farmers he has cheated.

The sort of gunfighter for hire Western that has been made a 100 times. The difference with this is Yul Bruyner. He is close to charismatic throughout most of the movie as the plot slowly simmers towards the inevitable shootout. No great surprise but not bad.           5/10

Gentlemen prefer blondes 1953

Starring: Marilyn Monroe

A dumb blonde and a showgirl go to Paris in search of rich husbands.

Glitzy Hollywood musical comedy. Jane Russell & Marilyn Monroe both look great and certainly make this worth watching. Not hilarious but short enough that it doesn't matter and the scene with Monroe dressed in a rug with the young lad beneath it was very amusing. The term dumb blonde could have originated from this movie & Monroe's voice was particularly grating. The musical number 'Diamonds are a girls best friend' is one of the classics.

Harmless froth        6/10

The Way ahead 1944

Starring: David Niven

Adventures of a platoon of raw recruits during World War 2.

Very much a character driven film which gives adequate time to learn of the inner thoughts and feelings of newly called up squadies. This certainly makes you care about the characters and also makes you route for them. I understand that this was made as a 'flag waver' and I'm sure it did its job. Obviously, not so relevant now but still thought provoking.      6/10

Our man in Havana 1959

Starring: Alec Guinness

A British Vacuum cleaner salesman in Havana allows himself to be recruited as a spy, and wishes he hadn't.

Any spy film has to be measured against James Bond and I'm afraid this just didn't work for me. I never really bought the premise of this man being recruited barely without argument and therefore none of what cam after, worked for me. It was a bit wordy and single paced with only the occasional scene standing out. Guinness was certainly competent in his role & his daughter brought a breath of fresh air whenever she was in a scene. Not dreadful but certainly non memorable.      4/10

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