No Minor Vices 1948

Starring:  Dana Andrews

A doctor brings home an artist friend who proceeds to wreck his household.

I was okay with the first five or ten minutes, after that I was bored rigid. Two characters who were unlikable just constantly trying to outdo the other one. I found it tedious in the extreme I'm afraid.  2/10

Enigma 1982

Starring: Martin Sheen

An East German refugee is recruited by the CIA to return to East Berlin.

Not a bad spy movie with plenty of action. My issue, is I just never bought Martin Sheen as an East German Refugee. When both sides speak with broad American accents, it just takes away a bit of the authenticity. 6/10

Song of surrender 1949

Starring: Wanda Hendrix

In turn-of-the-century New England, a sophisticated visitor from New York falls for the wife of a museum curator.

Love triangle melodrama, very bible-bashing old school. It did keep my interest but could have been so much better. The performances were stilted and all played on one level and why was so much of this movie shot in shadow? Seemed much older than 1949.    4/10

Letter from an unknown woman 1948

Starring: Joan Fontaine

A woman wastes her life in unrequited love for a rakish pianist.

Oh, the drama! Don't watch this if you want to cheer yourself up. Not the first time I've seen a movie where a young woman falls in love with a mystery musician. Joan Fontaine was 31 when she played this role and yet carries off the shy teenager with ease. An amazing transformation both in looks and movement to her adult self. I found the whole pice is a little dark on the lighting front, but thoroughly enjoyed a few of the scenes, particularly in the static train carriage with different countries going by.
The pianist needed a bit more personality for me and almost seemed to be too besotted by Fontaine's character for the plotline to be believable.
Enjoyable though and a definite classic.                        6/10
 

Reach For Glory 1952

Starring: Kay Walsh

During World War 11, evacuee boys play war games and a German refugee is accidentally killed.

anyone who thinks that adult action and media do not affect children, should watch this. Really quite disturbing with elements of Lord Of The Flies. Bullying, abuse, hatred, you could understand why boys would want to join the army to escape it. Hints of homosexuality which were slightly glossed over. Very interesting movie and a bit of an eye opener.        7/10

The Lady Says No 1951

Starring: Joan Caulfield

A magazine photographer tames a female chauvinist author.

This started off as quite a nice little movie. However, the author seemed to run out of ideas and it descended into silliness with one particularly bizarre dream, fantasy scene. David Niven, not my favourite actor, played this nicely, Joan Caulfield went for the screwball comedy but was no Doris Day, James Robertson Justice for once didn't shout but did massacre an Irish accent.      4/10

Our Daily Bread 1934

Starring: Karen Morley

A young couple in the depression inherit a broken-down farm and make it work.

Certainly different as a movie and that made it enjoyable. I never really bought the whole "We're in poverty thing", everyone looked to healthy. But the teamwork was admirible and the last five minutes left a smile on my face.       5/10

Davy 1957

Starring: Harry Secombe

A member of a family music hall act auditions at Covent Garden.

Families, you can't live with them, you can't live without them. Despite Secombe's family being profoundly annoying, this was a movie that grew on me enormously. Secombe has such charm and was hugely impressive when singing his audition piece. The young lad bought an innocence to the whole thing and there is a moralistic message that brought a lump to the throat.      7/10

Ladies Man 1947

Starring: Eddie Bracken

A poor farmer strikes oil, becomes a millionaire, and finds himself a prize for the ladies.

Bracken had a very easy charm about him and was very watchable. A really likeable movie to start with, it got a bit bogged down with chaos and shouting with a couple of music numbers ending in mild hysterics that were particularly annoying. Had some nice moments though.      5/10

Nativity 2009

Starring: Martin Freeman

An improvised comedy based around a school nativity play.

For the first time, I ventured past 1989 for my Sunday morning movie. Just absolutely loved this. With Christmas just a week away, it had feelgood factor, was genuinely funny and all the kids were brilliant. Martin Freeman pitches it just right and all the supporting cast a delight.    10/10

Chained for life 1950

Starring: Violet & Daisy Hilton

One of two girl siamese twins is accused of murder.

Not much plot and a lot of time watching juggles, trick cyclists and rifle shooters. The fascinating thing here is the verdict. If one of a pair of Siamese twins is found guilty, could you imprison her and punish the innocent siamese twin. Fascinating thought.    4/10

The Front 1976

Starring: Woody Allen

For a small commission, a bookmaker puts his name to scripts by blacklisted writers.

What an interesting topic and the credits at the end made it more meaningful. I'm just not the greatest Woody Allen fan. He's the same in every movie, he just talks....a lot and you sitting there desperate for him to get to the point. One of his better films for me though, Zero Mostel was superb.    6/10

My Six Loves 1963

Starring: Debbie Reynolds

A musical comedy star goes to the country for a rest and with the help of the local minister adopts six scruffy children.

Chaotic at times with the noise but I guess that's kind of the point. In honesty, I found this an absolute delight and was rooting for the kids all the way through. On Netflix and well worth a watch.     9/10

Joseph Andrews 1977

Starring: Peter Firth

Adventures of a naive 18th-century footman

Bawdy comedy in a similar vain to Tom Jones. Lots of short scenes which didn't always come together. There were lots of tits and bums, but I actually quite enjoyed it although it never made me laugh out loud. They must have spent a complete fortune on costumes.     6/10

The Seventh Seal 1957

Starring: Max Von Sydow

Death comes for a knight, who challenges him to a game of chess while he tries to show illustrations of goodness in mankind: but death takes them all away in the end.

Slightly odd and with subtitles, a little difficult to follow at times. However, the chess game was kind of compelling and the whole thing was ever so slightly mesmerizing.     4/10

Red Sonja 1985

Starring: Brigitte Nielsen

In the times of sword and sorcery, Sonja avenges her sister's death and deposes an evil queen.

Schwarzenegger definitely improved as an actor with experience, this movie was not good. A shame really as the sets and costumes were amazing. Terrible acting by pretty much everyone, but particularly Nielsen, the young king and his sidekick, made this movie laughable.     4/10

The Phantom light 1934

Starring: Gordon Harker

Wreckers try to scare off a new lighthouse keeper.

I guess for the early 1930's, this was quite effectively done. It's lost its humour over the decades and the suspense doesn't quite work on a small screen at home, had some nice touches though.    4/10

The light in the forest 1958

Starring: James MacArthur

Kidnapped by Indians as an infant, a teenager is returned to his parents but finds the white man's ways disturbing.

A little downbeat for a Disney movie, not badly done, but the movie would have had so much more impact if the ending had been reversed and the Indians were not always betrayed as the bad guys. Book 'em Danno....            6/10

Apache 1954

Starring: Burt Lancaster

After the surrender of Geronimo, one Apache leader is unconquered; After creating much havoc, he settles for domesticity, and the white men let him go unharmed.

Of the thousands of movies I've seen, I have seen all the major stars but can honestly say, I've never seen a Burt Lancaster film I haven't enjoyed. This is no exception, I'm not convinced he looked anywhere near authentic, more fancy dress costume. But it was an enjoyable movie, he had great chemistry with Jean Peters and it had an ending you would never have expected at the start of the movie.       7/10

Treasure Island 1971

Starring: Orson Welles

I think I've been spoilt and influenced by stage productions and pantomime. Very true to the book but in all honesty, it was just a bit dull.         4/10