The Children's Hour

 In the film The Children's Hour a malicious act destroys lives. The performances are outstanding and the story is so disturbing. Worth watching.

Gypsy (1962)

My new love for Rosalind Russell had me renting the 1962 version of Gypsy.I have seen this story in several community theater versions and the 1993 version played over and over in our house back in the day. This version has the pizazz of old vaudeville, along with performances that flesh out the characters well. Russell plays the brash, lovable personality of Rose with a flair, while Natalie Wood's subtle vulnerability as Louise is masterful. I liked this version a lot.

A Star Is Born (1937)

The original version of A Star Is Born is interesting to watch after seeing the other 3 versions. Again, the story of a young actress' rise to stardom and her successful actor husband self-destructing, is a dramatic story. This version features performances that paint the characters a little more sympathetic. Janet Gaynor's performance takes her character from wide-eyed innocence, pronouncing "I'm gonna be somebody," to down to earth practicality in the wake of stardom. I liked it when Norman says to her, "a star is born," at the premiere of The Enchanted Hour. And when he asks her to marry him the first time she says "No thank-you." An interesting visual is the hand-prints on Hollywood Boulevard bookend the film. This was a fun journey, all 4 versions are worth watching.

Sweet Smell of Success

The power of the press is a weapon in the film Sweet Smell of Success. The gossip papers could make or break a career and the power of the PR machine is used like a choke-hold. The dialog is very sassy and brash. A wife calls her husband Hitler when he tries to tell her what to do. In another scene a man tells his female assistant to "start thinking with your head instead of your hips." Yikes. As the story progresses and pot-shots are taken the most striking line is, "You have the scruples of a guinea pig and the morals of a gangster." What?!? This is a film about control and getting ahead. Writing and performances are top notch. Great rental.

Butterfield 8

A young Elizabeth Taylor won the Oscar for her performance in Butterfield 8 in 1961. She plays a single woman dealing with limited options for employment. She struggles with making tough decisions. This film is well written, performed and filmed. The costumes are great too. The ending was surprising to me. A classic.

Black Christmas (1974)

Waiting for the latest interpretation of Black Christmas, I decided to watch the original from 1974. This college girl stalker film is a horror classic set during the Christmas holiday break at a small college. Very well done for one of the earliest of the slasher film genre. The most impressive part of this film to me was the point of view. The performances from some very young actresses who would go on the big careers are excellent. This film is worth a look.

Little Women (2019)

The structure of the film Little Women gives new life to a classic story. I read and re-read the book Little Woman as a child, but it has been a long time since then. This film was like a reunion with old friends. This interpretation is skillful and beautiful, full of excellent performances and some creative editing, that made the story feel new.This is a lovely film. Well done.

The Wrong Man

A disturbing case of mistaken identity sits at the center of The Wrong Man. Hitchcock brings his chilling style to the serious consequences of this situation. Classic.

Bride of Frankenstein

Following up Frankenstein with The Bride of Frankenstein was a good move in my rental strategy. The continuation of the story with an additional monster is elegant and nuanced. There are so many screams! I liked this one too.

Frankenstein

As one of the true, original monster movies Frankenstein is a story of actions fueled by fear. A scientist creates a creature who faces the wrath of society as he just tries to exist. The cinematography is beautiful and the story is a bit sad, with some very touching moments. Excellent classic.

Damn Yankees

I have always been aware of the title Damn Yankees, but had no idea of it's meaning. This movie is a supernatural take on baseball, dreams, home and celebrity.  The performances are great and so is the music. Gwen Verdon is a national treasure. I'm glad that I finally saw this film.

Top Gun

Fighter pilot training is the setting for the movie Top Gun. The stories of friendship, love, skill and prestige all blend well in this action packed film. The aerial scenes are outstanding. I'm pretty sure that the last time I saw this film was in the theater and it's nice to see that it still holds up. Well done.

Two for the Road

One of my favorite film reviewers recommended the film Two for the Road. The ten year marriage of a couple is played out in a non-sequential fashion that takes a little getting used to. It is very effective. The performances, costumes and settings are great. This is a very poignant relationship film. Many emotions are explored. I liked this film a lot.

After Hours

The wild ride in After Hours takes place in one night. The crazy events in this film are beautifully shot and make for a fun ride all over NYC. Every moment is more outrageous than the next. Excellent rental.

Klute

The acting talent of Jane Fonda is used to the max in the film Klute. Along with the streets of New York City, a crime drama plays out and her character is the heart. Well done.

The Reluctant Astronaut

In light of the attention to space exploration around the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the movie The Reluctant Astronaut came to my attention. Don Knotts plays an anxious young man who has an awkward experience at NASA. There are bits, there are laughs, there are skilled comedic actors doing a great job with this 60s comedy.

My Man Godfrey

A homeless man goes to work as a butler for an upper crust family in My Man Godfrey. He is clever, resourceful and likeable. How the family sees the situation, and how it really is are two different things. The twists are good and the performances are charming. A strong classic.

To Sir With Love

I had forgotten what a good movie To Sir With Love is. When an engineer reluctantly takes a job as a high school teacher, the reality of rebellious teens are brought to the screen. I like that he does not succeed at every turn. There is enough failure to make him human and the story realistic. The performances are excellent and this is really well shot. I'm glad that I saw this film again. Well done.

My Fair Lady

I've always had trouble getting through the movie version of My Fair Lady even though I know the story and the music well. The misogyny was always too much. I saw the latest Broadway version and learned that they had changed a few small things to make the plot more palatable. I enjoyed the live version I saw, so I decided to give the movie another try. Audrey Hepburn is the biggest reason to see this film. Her performance is outstanding, even though the singing is dubbed (Thank you Marne Nixon). I'm still disgusted by the character of Henry Higgins, but there is a charm to most of the others that won me over. The costumes are amazing as well and I had the pleasure of seeing them live in the Warner Brother's Museum back in October. I'm glad that the Broadway version brought me back to the film. Well done.

Creature from the Black Lagoon

Guillermo del Toro said in an interview, that Creature from the Black Lagoon was inspiration for The Shape of Water so I decided to give it a look. I loved this film. The technology is pretty amazing for the time. The camera work and cinematography are great and the story moves right along and draws you in. So many shots have been recreated in more current films. It was very cool to see the original. I really liked this film.