HARRIET FRANK, JR.
With a few exceptions, screen writers do not become household words. OK, there is Faulkner and F. Scott Fitzgerald. When I read of the death of Harriet Frank, Jr. at the age of 96, I drew a blank. Yet she was one of the unknown giants of the silver screen. Her list of credits is sensational. She often partnered with her husband, Irving Ravetch, and sometimes with other writers and often by herself. Incredibly, she never won an Academy Award, not even one of those lifetime achievement deals.
The Long Hot Summer (1958) stars Paul Newman as a handsome con man and Joanne Woodard as the sheltered daughter of a wealthy family. Sparks, of course, fly. Not only on the screen but in real life. This famous pair married soon after the movie wrapped and stayed together til death did them part.
Harriet Frank received her first Oscar nomination for the legendary Hud 1963) again starring Paul Newman, this time as the ne’er-do-well son of a straight arrow rancher (Melvyn Douglas). Patricia Neal did win Oscar as Newman’s unlikely victim. Douglas and cinematographer James Wong Howe also won statues. Frank lost to the writers of Captain Newman MD, a very unfortunate choice.
Ms. Frank was also nominated for the screenplay of the splendid Norma Rae (1979) with Sally Field as an unlikely labor organizer in the South. Ms. Field won the Oscar for Best Actress and the film won for Best Movie. Ms. Frank this time lost to Robert Benton who won for penning Kramer v. Kramer.
Perhaps the best adaptation of a William Faulkner work is 1969's The Reivers. Steve McQueen is good as the rascally Boon. He talks two little boys into a road trip in a relative’s yellow Winton Flyer. The trip is a cinematic delight, capturing much of Faulkner’s terse dialog along the way.
The Sound and the Fury (1959) is another Faulkner adaptation. It doesn’t quite make a smooth transition from the novel. It does feature the unlikley casting of Yul Brynner as a cracker.
Conrack (1974) is a real charmer starring Jon Voight as a schoolteacher on one of the South Carolina coastal islands. The film is based on the memoir The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy. The movie title is based on the children’s pronunciation of Conroy. They speak a local dialect known as Gullah, and have almost no knowledge of the world outside. Conroy tries to widen their world view and prepare them for life after school. The screenplay does an excellent job with the language, incorporating it, and yet making it understandable.
Some other notable Frank screenplays include Home From The Hill (1960), The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960), Hombre (1967) and Stanley And Iris (1990).
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for grown-ups.
Sunday, March 15, 2020
Sunday, March 8, 2020
2019 Sleepers
Part 1
Here begins a series on 2019 sleepers, really good films that didn’t get much notice. You might find a couple worth watching.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is wildly all over the place and endearing to boot.
Zack Gottsagen is a young man with Down’s Syndrome. He hates the residential home where he lives and dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. He escapes and follows the dour Tyler (Shia Labeouf) who is on the run from some really bad guys. He wishes Zack would go away. He won’t. Over time and many adventures they begin to bond and Tyler tries to make Zack’s dream come true. This is a real charmer with a nod to Mark Twain . BTW, Zack appeared at the Oscars with Mr. Labeouf.
The Command is a most unusual and diverting submarine film. An explosion kills most of the Russian crew and the rest are left with no power and little oxygen. The Russians try to salvage the sub with their own gear. It fails. The British have the knowledge and the equipment to rescue the sub. Colin Firth is excellent as the British officer trying to convince the Russians to let the Brits save the crew. The pride of the Russians is in the way and it’s hard to convince them to let another country help.
Molly Ivins was a Texas reporter and gadfly. She was unequaled in sticking it to the famous and prominent. Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins is a bushel of fun even if you are a reddish person. She famously called George W. Bush “Shrub” and that will give you an idea of her persona. One of her many books is entitled Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?.
She could.
Just Mercy is, as they say, based on a true story. And what a story it is. Michael B. Jordan stars as Bryan Stevenson, an idealistic young Harvard graduate who spurns the money and prestige of the big law firms and heads to Alabama to help poor people who can’t afford proper legal representation. He goes to work for Eve Anthony (Brie Larson) who runs a legal clinic for the poor. Bryan happens upon the case of Walter MacMillan (Jamie Foxx) who has been sent to death row for a murder he didn’t commit. His conviction is mostly based on the testimony of a jailhouse snitch, and most of the exculpatory evidence never showed up. Bryan just wants a new, and fair, trial for his client. (BTW, all of the principals are real people.)
Roman Coleman is convincingly played by unknown Matthias Schoenaerts as a violent convict in The Mustang. He is given the opportunity to tame a wild mustang and they are about a perfect match. The only familiar face is Bruce Dern as a crusty old horse wrangler. It may be a little predictable, but it just might bring a tear to a jaded eye.
All of the films in this article are now available on DVD. All are for adults.
Part 1
Here begins a series on 2019 sleepers, really good films that didn’t get much notice. You might find a couple worth watching.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is wildly all over the place and endearing to boot.
Zack Gottsagen is a young man with Down’s Syndrome. He hates the residential home where he lives and dreams of becoming a professional wrestler. He escapes and follows the dour Tyler (Shia Labeouf) who is on the run from some really bad guys. He wishes Zack would go away. He won’t. Over time and many adventures they begin to bond and Tyler tries to make Zack’s dream come true. This is a real charmer with a nod to Mark Twain . BTW, Zack appeared at the Oscars with Mr. Labeouf.
The Command is a most unusual and diverting submarine film. An explosion kills most of the Russian crew and the rest are left with no power and little oxygen. The Russians try to salvage the sub with their own gear. It fails. The British have the knowledge and the equipment to rescue the sub. Colin Firth is excellent as the British officer trying to convince the Russians to let the Brits save the crew. The pride of the Russians is in the way and it’s hard to convince them to let another country help.
Molly Ivins was a Texas reporter and gadfly. She was unequaled in sticking it to the famous and prominent. Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins is a bushel of fun even if you are a reddish person. She famously called George W. Bush “Shrub” and that will give you an idea of her persona. One of her many books is entitled Molly Ivins Can’t Say That, Can She?.
She could.
Just Mercy is, as they say, based on a true story. And what a story it is. Michael B. Jordan stars as Bryan Stevenson, an idealistic young Harvard graduate who spurns the money and prestige of the big law firms and heads to Alabama to help poor people who can’t afford proper legal representation. He goes to work for Eve Anthony (Brie Larson) who runs a legal clinic for the poor. Bryan happens upon the case of Walter MacMillan (Jamie Foxx) who has been sent to death row for a murder he didn’t commit. His conviction is mostly based on the testimony of a jailhouse snitch, and most of the exculpatory evidence never showed up. Bryan just wants a new, and fair, trial for his client. (BTW, all of the principals are real people.)
Roman Coleman is convincingly played by unknown Matthias Schoenaerts as a violent convict in The Mustang. He is given the opportunity to tame a wild mustang and they are about a perfect match. The only familiar face is Bruce Dern as a crusty old horse wrangler. It may be a little predictable, but it just might bring a tear to a jaded eye.
All of the films in this article are now available on DVD. All are for adults.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
KIRK DOUGLAS MOVIES
Part 2
As promised, here are more really good Kirk Douglas movies, celebrating the macho star who left us at 103.
I’ll begin this one with perhaps his most famous role. Douglas was all guts and glory as the slave revolt leader, Spartacus (1960). Though the film collected four Oscars, including Peter Ustinov’s supporting role, Douglas was not nominated. The script was written by Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted at the time. Douglas announced that Trumbo was the author, and when President Kennedy crossed a picket line to see the movie, blacklisting was finished forever. A legendary plot device occurs when the Roman soldiers seeking Spartacus ask a group of revolters which of them is Spartacus and they all reply, “I am Spartacus”.
A very early Kirk Douglas outing was in the splendid noir film, Out Of The Past (1947). Douglas does a servicable job as an extremely shady tycoon. But the movie belongs to Robert Mitchum, whose hooded eyes and gravelly voice seemed custom-made for noir movies. Jane Greer is just fine as the naive local girl in over her head.
The usual suspects come in and go out of NYC’s 21st precinct in Detective Story (1951). Kirk Douglas is detective James McLeod, an honest cop trying to do a good job. Eleanor Parker is on board as his faithful wife and William Bendix is good as a fellow cop. The plot is extremely convoluted with many characters, but it’s pretty good if you can stick with it.
The Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957) has become an American legend. Kirk Douglas is the famous Doc Holliday (actually he was a real dentist) and his smiling, semi-threatening persona is quite entertaining. Burt Lancaster appears as the equally famous Wyatt Earp, sheriff of Tombstone, Arizona Territory. On October 26, 1881, the actual event took place and lasted all of 30 seconds. Earp and Holliday took on and killed the remnants of the Clanton gang. The back story and events after the shoot-out are manufactured by novelist Leon Uris in a nicely integrated screenplay.
Paths Of Glory (1957) is an excellent anti-war movie. Kirk Douglas plays Col. Dax and Adolphe Menjou is French General Broulard. Broulard orders a foolhardy suicidal attack on a German fortification. General Mireau (George Macready) realizes the mission is fated to fail at great cost, but sniffs that a promotion might hang in the balance and orders the attack to proceed. Dax does his best to lead the attack, but it is doomed and there are a lot of casualties with nothing accomplished. When the second wave of French soldiers are ordered to attack, they refuse. Three of them are later court-martialed. Dax gallantly defends them, but it is a hopeless effort in a kangaroo court and all three men are convicted and executed. Then some good stuff happens.
Kirk Douglas can also be seen to good effect in A Letter To Three Wives (1949), Seven Days in May (1964) and The Man From Snowy River (1982).
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Part 2
As promised, here are more really good Kirk Douglas movies, celebrating the macho star who left us at 103.
I’ll begin this one with perhaps his most famous role. Douglas was all guts and glory as the slave revolt leader, Spartacus (1960). Though the film collected four Oscars, including Peter Ustinov’s supporting role, Douglas was not nominated. The script was written by Dalton Trumbo, who was blacklisted at the time. Douglas announced that Trumbo was the author, and when President Kennedy crossed a picket line to see the movie, blacklisting was finished forever. A legendary plot device occurs when the Roman soldiers seeking Spartacus ask a group of revolters which of them is Spartacus and they all reply, “I am Spartacus”.
A very early Kirk Douglas outing was in the splendid noir film, Out Of The Past (1947). Douglas does a servicable job as an extremely shady tycoon. But the movie belongs to Robert Mitchum, whose hooded eyes and gravelly voice seemed custom-made for noir movies. Jane Greer is just fine as the naive local girl in over her head.
The usual suspects come in and go out of NYC’s 21st precinct in Detective Story (1951). Kirk Douglas is detective James McLeod, an honest cop trying to do a good job. Eleanor Parker is on board as his faithful wife and William Bendix is good as a fellow cop. The plot is extremely convoluted with many characters, but it’s pretty good if you can stick with it.
The Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957) has become an American legend. Kirk Douglas is the famous Doc Holliday (actually he was a real dentist) and his smiling, semi-threatening persona is quite entertaining. Burt Lancaster appears as the equally famous Wyatt Earp, sheriff of Tombstone, Arizona Territory. On October 26, 1881, the actual event took place and lasted all of 30 seconds. Earp and Holliday took on and killed the remnants of the Clanton gang. The back story and events after the shoot-out are manufactured by novelist Leon Uris in a nicely integrated screenplay.
Paths Of Glory (1957) is an excellent anti-war movie. Kirk Douglas plays Col. Dax and Adolphe Menjou is French General Broulard. Broulard orders a foolhardy suicidal attack on a German fortification. General Mireau (George Macready) realizes the mission is fated to fail at great cost, but sniffs that a promotion might hang in the balance and orders the attack to proceed. Dax does his best to lead the attack, but it is doomed and there are a lot of casualties with nothing accomplished. When the second wave of French soldiers are ordered to attack, they refuse. Three of them are later court-martialed. Dax gallantly defends them, but it is a hopeless effort in a kangaroo court and all three men are convicted and executed. Then some good stuff happens.
Kirk Douglas can also be seen to good effect in A Letter To Three Wives (1949), Seven Days in May (1964) and The Man From Snowy River (1982).
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Friday, February 21, 2020
KIRK DOUGLAS COLUMN
Part 1
It seemed like Kirk Douglas was around forever, and he almost was. He lived to be 103 years old, and he needed a lot of years to get all those starring roles in.
Douglas was nominated three times for Best Actor, but never won. He did win one of those lifetime achievement deals in 1996. He was in so many good movies, it will take two articles to document them.
I’ll begin with Champion (1949). It was the first really good boxing movie and he was good in it. He plays Midge Kelly, a fighter who rises from very humble beginnings to the top of the sport. On the way he back stabs and womanizes full throttle. Convincing Douglas to play a total jerk wasn’t easy but he made the most of it. He was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Broderick Crawford for All The King’s Men. BTW, Crawford also plays a total jerk in his winning role.
Again rising from poor beginnings to become a mean drunk, Douglas is very good as Rick Martin, cornetist extraordinary. Young Man With A Horn (1950) is the thinly disguised story of jazz great Bix Beiderbecke and Douglas does it justice. Actually, the happy ending of the movie did not happen in real life. Beiderbecke died broke and unmourned. Rick Martin winds up sober, again playing well and redeemed with his true love Jo (Doris Day). But hey, this is Hollywood!
There have been many cinematic versions of Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie, but to me the 1950 version is by far the best. Jane Wyman absolutely glows as the shy, dainty Laura and Kirk Douglas is simply wonderful as The Gentleman Caller, Jim O’Connor. He slowly and successfully draws Laura out of her shell and when he leaves she is a quite different young woman. And once again, the happy ending tacked onto this film is not like the original play. But that’s ok!
The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) is a convoluted film about Hollywood shenanigans. It has an all-star cast (Gloria Graham, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Walter Pigeon, Barry Sullivan). It is severely dated and wasn’t very good when it was new, though it somehow garnered six Oscars. Douglas was nominated for Oscar again for his role as movie producer Jonathan Shields (another total SOB). This time he lost to Gary Cooper for High Noon (a slam dunk!).
Kirk Douglas was taken to task by some for his over the top performance as Vincent Van Gogh in Lust For Life(1956). So, do you think a guy that would cut off his own ear isn’t a little past the limit? Anyway, Douglas again lost the Oscar for Best Actor, this time to Yul Brynner for The King And I. No argument here. A charming part of the Van Gogh film is matching paintings to the actual location where they originated.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults. Next time, more Kirk Douglas winners.
Part 1
It seemed like Kirk Douglas was around forever, and he almost was. He lived to be 103 years old, and he needed a lot of years to get all those starring roles in.
Douglas was nominated three times for Best Actor, but never won. He did win one of those lifetime achievement deals in 1996. He was in so many good movies, it will take two articles to document them.
I’ll begin with Champion (1949). It was the first really good boxing movie and he was good in it. He plays Midge Kelly, a fighter who rises from very humble beginnings to the top of the sport. On the way he back stabs and womanizes full throttle. Convincing Douglas to play a total jerk wasn’t easy but he made the most of it. He was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Broderick Crawford for All The King’s Men. BTW, Crawford also plays a total jerk in his winning role.
Again rising from poor beginnings to become a mean drunk, Douglas is very good as Rick Martin, cornetist extraordinary. Young Man With A Horn (1950) is the thinly disguised story of jazz great Bix Beiderbecke and Douglas does it justice. Actually, the happy ending of the movie did not happen in real life. Beiderbecke died broke and unmourned. Rick Martin winds up sober, again playing well and redeemed with his true love Jo (Doris Day). But hey, this is Hollywood!
There have been many cinematic versions of Tennessee Williams’ Glass Menagerie, but to me the 1950 version is by far the best. Jane Wyman absolutely glows as the shy, dainty Laura and Kirk Douglas is simply wonderful as The Gentleman Caller, Jim O’Connor. He slowly and successfully draws Laura out of her shell and when he leaves she is a quite different young woman. And once again, the happy ending tacked onto this film is not like the original play. But that’s ok!
The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) is a convoluted film about Hollywood shenanigans. It has an all-star cast (Gloria Graham, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Walter Pigeon, Barry Sullivan). It is severely dated and wasn’t very good when it was new, though it somehow garnered six Oscars. Douglas was nominated for Oscar again for his role as movie producer Jonathan Shields (another total SOB). This time he lost to Gary Cooper for High Noon (a slam dunk!).
Kirk Douglas was taken to task by some for his over the top performance as Vincent Van Gogh in Lust For Life(1956). So, do you think a guy that would cut off his own ear isn’t a little past the limit? Anyway, Douglas again lost the Oscar for Best Actor, this time to Yul Brynner for The King And I. No argument here. A charming part of the Van Gogh film is matching paintings to the actual location where they originated.
All of the films in this article are available on DVD. All are for adults. Next time, more Kirk Douglas winners.
Sunday, February 16, 2020
MARLON BRANDO
The method acting and raw sexuality he brought to his early films was a new thing. Some of his lines have entered the lexicon: “I coulda been a contender”; “make him an offer he can’t refuse”. He was nominated for Best Actor seven times, and won twice. In 1993 he refused the award for The Godfather (1992) and sent a woman in his place to read a diatribe against the treatment of Native Americans. His personal life was a mess, including the trial of a son for murder and the suicide of a daughter. Marlon Brando, dead at 80, was in many ways larger than life.
Brando burst onto the screen and into the American psyche as the brutish Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role he had played for two years on Broadway and which he grew to genuinely loath. But it made him a star forever! Over 60 years later this is still a powerful film, and Brando is unforgettable.
Marlon Brando played Marc Antony in Julius Caesar (1953), one of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare. James Mason, Sir John Gielgud, Edmond O’Brien, Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr comprise a stellar cast in this excellent production.
As Terry Malloy, a washed up boxer, Brando won his first Oscar for the superb On The Waterfront (1954). With Lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Steiger also putting in great performances, this wonderful film won and deserved eight Oscars. Brando’s conversation in the car with his brother is absolutely breathtaking, the stuff that cinematic dreams are made of.
The Godfather (1972) may or may not be an accurate picture of organized crime, but it defines the Mafia for most Americans, and Marlon Brando won his second Oscar by defining for all time what we think of as the Don. His creepy, raspy portrayal digs into your soul. This film and its sequels are American film legends. .
Marlon Brando also appears in the roughly erotic Last Tango in Paris (1973); as the title character in the excellent Viva Zapata! (1952); miscast as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (1955); and as, of all things, an oriental servant in the dreadful Sayonara (1957).
I saved the best Brando quote for last: In The Wild One (1954) Brando’s totally rebellious character is asked what he is rebelling against. His famous answer: “Whattaya got?”
All of the films in this column are available on DVD. All are for adults.
The method acting and raw sexuality he brought to his early films was a new thing. Some of his lines have entered the lexicon: “I coulda been a contender”; “make him an offer he can’t refuse”. He was nominated for Best Actor seven times, and won twice. In 1993 he refused the award for The Godfather (1992) and sent a woman in his place to read a diatribe against the treatment of Native Americans. His personal life was a mess, including the trial of a son for murder and the suicide of a daughter. Marlon Brando, dead at 80, was in many ways larger than life.
Brando burst onto the screen and into the American psyche as the brutish Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a role he had played for two years on Broadway and which he grew to genuinely loath. But it made him a star forever! Over 60 years later this is still a powerful film, and Brando is unforgettable.
Marlon Brando played Marc Antony in Julius Caesar (1953), one of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare. James Mason, Sir John Gielgud, Edmond O’Brien, Greer Garson and Deborah Kerr comprise a stellar cast in this excellent production.
As Terry Malloy, a washed up boxer, Brando won his first Oscar for the superb On The Waterfront (1954). With Lee J. Cobb, Eva Marie Saint, and Rod Steiger also putting in great performances, this wonderful film won and deserved eight Oscars. Brando’s conversation in the car with his brother is absolutely breathtaking, the stuff that cinematic dreams are made of.
The Godfather (1972) may or may not be an accurate picture of organized crime, but it defines the Mafia for most Americans, and Marlon Brando won his second Oscar by defining for all time what we think of as the Don. His creepy, raspy portrayal digs into your soul. This film and its sequels are American film legends. .
Marlon Brando also appears in the roughly erotic Last Tango in Paris (1973); as the title character in the excellent Viva Zapata! (1952); miscast as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (1955); and as, of all things, an oriental servant in the dreadful Sayonara (1957).
I saved the best Brando quote for last: In The Wild One (1954) Brando’s totally rebellious character is asked what he is rebelling against. His famous answer: “Whattaya got?”
All of the films in this column are available on DVD. All are for adults.
Sunday, February 9, 2020
JUDY HOLLIDAY
The movie career of Judy Holliday, who died in 1965 at the age of 43, spanned only ten years. Each of her films is a joy. She was typecast by Hollywood as a dumb blonde, but she had an IQ of 172 and she won two Tonys and an Oscar. She had the rare ability to make you laugh and to feel good about life in general.
She was the wronged wife on trial for murdering her philandering husband in Adam’s Rib (1950), a Spencer Tracy-Katherine Hepburn vehicle with Tracy defending her and Hepburn prosecuting. This part was considered a screen test for Born Yesterday (1950). Although she had gloriously played Billie Dawn on Broadway for four years, the studio for some reason didn’t think she was right for the movie. Fortunately, they wound up casting her anyway.
Ms. Holliday won her Oscar for Born Yesterday, her signature role. She is the somewhat dim wife of Broderick Crawford, a ruthless business man who wants to impress (and do business with) Congressional types. William Holden is hired to give her polish. She is funny and touching, and the teacher learns lots more than the student.
It Should Happen To You (1954) is also Jack Lemmon’s first film. Judy arrives in New York determined to make a name for herself, which she does by renting a billboard. A sly comment on celebrity that stands up very well after 60 years, and a wonderful vehicle for Ms. Holliday and Mr. Lemmon.
Ms. Holliday stars as a small stockholder determined to oust a crooked board of directors in The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956). The cards are stacked, but the laughs
are frequent and genuine.
Judy Holliday’s last film is the much underappreciated Bells Are Ringing (1960). She runs a telephone answering service, and just has to meddle in the lives of her unseen clients. Dean Martin lends a hand in this fine musical. Ms. Holliday did the singing herself both on the stage and in the movie. The Party’s Over and Just In Time are highlights.She had a nice, ear-catching voice and made several records.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are suitable for children of all ages, but probably would only be enjoyed by 10 and up.
The movie career of Judy Holliday, who died in 1965 at the age of 43, spanned only ten years. Each of her films is a joy. She was typecast by Hollywood as a dumb blonde, but she had an IQ of 172 and she won two Tonys and an Oscar. She had the rare ability to make you laugh and to feel good about life in general.
She was the wronged wife on trial for murdering her philandering husband in Adam’s Rib (1950), a Spencer Tracy-Katherine Hepburn vehicle with Tracy defending her and Hepburn prosecuting. This part was considered a screen test for Born Yesterday (1950). Although she had gloriously played Billie Dawn on Broadway for four years, the studio for some reason didn’t think she was right for the movie. Fortunately, they wound up casting her anyway.
Ms. Holliday won her Oscar for Born Yesterday, her signature role. She is the somewhat dim wife of Broderick Crawford, a ruthless business man who wants to impress (and do business with) Congressional types. William Holden is hired to give her polish. She is funny and touching, and the teacher learns lots more than the student.
It Should Happen To You (1954) is also Jack Lemmon’s first film. Judy arrives in New York determined to make a name for herself, which she does by renting a billboard. A sly comment on celebrity that stands up very well after 60 years, and a wonderful vehicle for Ms. Holliday and Mr. Lemmon.
Ms. Holliday stars as a small stockholder determined to oust a crooked board of directors in The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956). The cards are stacked, but the laughs
are frequent and genuine.
Judy Holliday’s last film is the much underappreciated Bells Are Ringing (1960). She runs a telephone answering service, and just has to meddle in the lives of her unseen clients. Dean Martin lends a hand in this fine musical. Ms. Holliday did the singing herself both on the stage and in the movie. The Party’s Over and Just In Time are highlights.She had a nice, ear-catching voice and made several records.
All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. All are suitable for children of all ages, but probably would only be enjoyed by 10 and up.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
THE BEST OF 2019
1- A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (10)
2- Little Women (10)
3- Downton Abbey (9)
4- The Peanut Butter Falcon (9)
5- The Command (9)
6- Apollo 11 (8)
7- The Farewell (8)
8- Maiden (8)
9- Ford v. Ferrari (8)
10- Raise Hell: The Molly Ivins Story (8)
11- Just Mercy (8)
12- The Mustang (8)
13- Pavarotti (8)
14- Harriet (8)
15-The Two Popes (8)
16- Marriage Story (8)
17- Knives Out (8)
18- Official Secrets (8)
19- Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (8)
20- 1917 (8)
21-The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (8)
22- Knock Down The House (8)
23- Gloria Bell (8)
24- Toy Story 4 (8)
25- Parasite (8)
(Mr. Movie’s rating out of 10)
I have 23 films I rated 7 and will send these on request
I also have about 20 rated 6 or lower - in the kissing frogs area
And there are several contenders I have not seen:
One Child Nation
Uncut Gems
Jojo Rabbit
Dark Waters
Motherless Brooklyn
Queen and Slim
The Report
Joker
Arguments and disagreements are encouraged!
1- A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (10)
2- Little Women (10)
3- Downton Abbey (9)
4- The Peanut Butter Falcon (9)
5- The Command (9)
6- Apollo 11 (8)
7- The Farewell (8)
8- Maiden (8)
9- Ford v. Ferrari (8)
10- Raise Hell: The Molly Ivins Story (8)
11- Just Mercy (8)
12- The Mustang (8)
13- Pavarotti (8)
14- Harriet (8)
15-The Two Popes (8)
16- Marriage Story (8)
17- Knives Out (8)
18- Official Secrets (8)
19- Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (8)
20- 1917 (8)
21-The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (8)
22- Knock Down The House (8)
23- Gloria Bell (8)
24- Toy Story 4 (8)
25- Parasite (8)
(Mr. Movie’s rating out of 10)
I have 23 films I rated 7 and will send these on request
I also have about 20 rated 6 or lower - in the kissing frogs area
And there are several contenders I have not seen:
One Child Nation
Uncut Gems
Jojo Rabbit
Dark Waters
Motherless Brooklyn
Queen and Slim
The Report
Joker
Arguments and disagreements are encouraged!
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