Movie #955 .........................."The Canterville Ghost" (1944)

The Movie #955 "The Canterville Ghost" is a movie that scared the bejeebers out of me when I was 12 years old. I remember I was a big fan of Margaret O'Brien, and I was nervous through the whole movie, like she was.  When I went to bed that evening, I imagined there was a ghost in my closet, for weeks afterward.  In fact, it probably is the reason that I put a sheet over my ears to this day --- hiding from that ghost!  Well, then when I watched it when I was in my 20's, I discovered it was mostly a comedy.  So the other night, I decided to watch it in my later life, and I found it a bit silly and maudlin, but when Margaret O'brien turns on the tears, she got me again.  The story is really about a relationship of a little girl to a soldier, who thinks he is a coward who can't break the ghost's curse, but the belief of a little girl can do wonders.  The crux of the story still works.  And that's probably why it has been done 6 times in film............so far.  But I still like the original.  It just isn't scary any more, and that's kind of sad.

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The Canterville Ghost (1944) Passed 95 min  -  Comedy | Fantasy  -  July 1944 (USA) I would give this 3 stars out of 5

Directors:

 Jules Dassin, Norman Z. McLeod (uncredited)

Writers:

 Oscar Wilde (story), Edwin Blum (screenplay)

Stars:

 Charles Laughton, Robert Young, Margaret O'Brien  

n the 1600s, cowardly Sir Simon of Canterville flees a duel and seeks solace in the family castle. His ashamed father seals him in the room where he is hiding and dooms him to life as a ghost until one of his descendants performs a brave deed. Simon believes he may be saved when he meets Cuffy Williams, an American kinsman stationed with a troop of soldiers at the castle in 1943. Will this blood relative save the family honor, or will his blood be as yellow as the rest of the Cantervilles?

Movie #954 .........................."The Night Listener"

Movie #954 "The Night Listener" is a movie I had a hard time getting through --- kept falling asleep through it.  Too slow and moody for me.  I just wasn't interested much in the story.  It was one of those does that person really exists, and after a while, the question becomes :  who really cares?  I wanted to see it because it was one of the few Robin Williams' films I hadn't seen.  But now I know why I didn't see it when it first came out.  I don't recommend it, from what I saw of it.












The Night Listener2006R81 minutes    I would give this 2 out of 5 stars.

Writer and radio host Gabriel Noone receives a manuscript from a troubled young fan. Despite his friends' warnings, the fragile Gabriel develops an unsettling relationship with the boy and his blind guardian. 

Cast:

Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Rory Culkin, Joe Morton, Bobby Cannavale, Sandra Oh, John Cullum

Genre:

Psychological Thrillers, Mystery, Suspense, Thrillers

Movie #953 ........................"Please Believe Me" pretty English girl, Alison Kirbe, is en route by ship to American to claim a 50,000-acre ranch in Texas willed to her by a friends. On board, she meets Terence Terry" Keith, looking for a rich girl to pay off his gambling debts, and his 'man' Vincent Maran, who has been assigned by gambler "Lucky" Reilly to stay with Terry in the event he happens to find some money. Terry begins his courtship campaign but has a setback when Alison meets attorney Matthew Kinston, ans his rich, playboy client, Jeremy Taylor, who Matthew is trying to shield from any gold-digger who may be cruising about. Matthew's faith in Alison is shaken when he recognizes Vincent as a crook, and Vincent tells him that Alison and Terry are hatching a plot that is intended to lighten Jeremy's fortune somewhat severely. This, for those who couldn't keep up while watching the film, a ploy by Vincent to make sure Jeremy doesn't do anything that might put a crimp in his plans to relieve Alison of her money. Other complications follow.

  
Movie #953 "Please Believe Me" had kind of a convoluted plot for a 1950s film,and I got into watching it on TCM about 30 minutes into ti, so it was tough to pick it up.  Anyway, I've always been a Robert Walker fan, and it was fun to see him play a cad, when he normally plays just a nice, friendly, charming guy.  And this demanded quite a bit from Deborah Kerr, too, so it was fun to watch!  But boy, did it take a while to get to it...........at one point she had 4 guys following her around, each with a con working to get her money.  So there are twists and turns and surprises, but really pretty predictable, if you have seen any con movies.  Not nearly as good as "The Lady Eve" but still worth a look, if you like the actors.  

PLEASE BELIEVE ME, 1950  --- I would give it 3 stars out of 5.

A pretty English girl, Alison Kirbe, is en route by ship to American to claim a 50,000-acre ranch in Texas willed to her by a friends. On board, she meets Terence Terry" Keith, looking for a rich girl to pay off his gambling debts, and his 'man' Vincent Maran, who has been assigned by gambler "Lucky" Reilly to stay with Terry in the event he happens to find some money. Terry begins his courtship campaign but has a setback when Alison meets attorney Matthew Kinston, ans his rich, playboy client, Jeremy Taylor, who Matthew is trying to shield from any gold-digger who may be cruising about. Matthew's faith in Alison is shaken when he recognizes Vincent as a crook, and Vincent tells him that Alison and Terry are hatching a plot that is intended to lighten Jeremy's fortune somewhat severely. This, for those who couldn't keep up while watching the film, a ploy by Vincent to make sure Jeremy doesn't do anything that might put a crimp in his plans to relieve Alison of her money. Other complications follow.

Director:

 Norman Taurog

Writers:

 Nathaniel Curtis (story), Nathaniel Curtis (screenplay)

Stars:

 Deborah Kerr, Robert Walker, Mark Stevens

Movie #952 ........................."The Soul Surfer"

Movie #952 "The Soul Surfer" was on my list strictly because Anna Sophia Robb was starring in it (saw her in "Way Way Back" and "Bridges of Terebithia" and wanted to see most of what she has done so far, and this title popped up.  I must say, she did not disappoint.  The movie was very believable dealing with the loss of her arm.  And technically, it was cool to watch.  I also applaud the film director for not milking the actual moment too much (although, I read that the real Bethany Hamilton pushed for that!) , and I thought the religious moments( that Bethany and her family again insisted upon) weren't intrusive to the rest of the story, either, and that was another plus.  I looked at why the critics gave it only 40%, and it's that "tries to inspire but fails, too maudlin" comment that I hardly ever see in films.  I like them to be inspiring, and I embrace sappiness once in a while for the cause of a good story, which this really is.  The film got me thinking about how brave this young girl is, how some people are born with talent that with the help of others must get untapped just so they can survive! And the film also explored what your life might be like if something like this happens to you (god forbid!) and you lose an appendage.  How you must deal with the daily tasks,  how your clothes don't fit the same, and most importantly how others see you differently.  At first, when she lost her arm, that's all I could do as a film viewer is to stare at it, wondering how they were doing that, wondering where her real arm went, etc.  But then after a while, you get sucked back into her story, and you forget she only has one arm.  I liked that about the film because isn't that what it is all about?  to try to treat everyone equally, with or without an arm?  I recommend the film, esp. to teens. Very inspirational!  and beautiful shots of surfing in Hawaii!




Soul Surfer2011PG106 minutes    I give this film 4 out of 5 stars.

From director Sean McNamara comes this inspiring film that dramatizes the real-life story of Bethany Hamilton, a Hawaiian teen who bravely returns to competitive surfing after losing her left arm in a vicious shark attack.

Cast:

AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid, Lorraine Nicholson, Kevin Sorbo, Carrie Underwood, Ross Thomas, Chris Brochu, Jeremy Sumpter, Craig T. Nelson

Genre:

Dramas Based on Real Life, Sports Dramas, Surfing & Boardsports, Drama

Movie #951 ........................."The Bride Goes Wild"

Movie #951 "The Bride Goes Wild" was a flick I caught on TCM the other night and it showed its age, I thought.  I normally like June Allyson and Van Johnson, and they did well with what was given them here, but the storyline was ludicrous.  It expected us to first of all believe that this terribly conservative woman who lives with her two aunts from a small town would get drunk with a guy she despised and whom she just met; then, she is supposed to so gullible that she believes that this guys has a little boy whom she takes a shine to.  And that he has a girlfriend (Arlene Dahl) who has damaged him for life. Then, she falls for him (why?) until she finds out the boy isn't his --- Van Johnson plays such a cad, I wouldn't even want to know him, much less be married to him, but yep, you guessed it --- she is bride who should have run wildly the other way at the very end of the film!  This is one of those films that gave romantic comedies a bad name, I think.  Not an ounce of sense, if you ask me.  Don't bother with this one.

The Bride Goes Wild (1948) --- I would give it 2  out of 5 stars.

98 min  -  Comedy | Romance  -  3 March 1948 (USA)

6.2

Your rating:

  -/10 

Ratings: 6.2/10 from 207 users 
Reviews: 7 user | 1 critic

McGrath publishes books for children and Uncle Bump is one of the best sellers. Unfortunately, Greg, who is Uncle Bump, tends to drink too much and has not started his next book. Martha won... See full summary »

Director:

 Norman Taurog

Writer:

 Albert Beich

Stars:

 Van Johnson, June Allyson, Jackie 'Butch' Jenkins |See full cast and crew »

Movie #950 ........................." Mad Miss Manton"

Movie #950 "Mad Miss Manton" is a movie I've heard the title of many times, and I knew it was another pairing of the "Lady Eve" duet of Stanwyck and Fonda, so I always wanted to see it.  It was on TCM and I made a dvd of it and just watched it recently and liked it a lot!  What a strong female cast!  I wonder if it was ever done on stage because Miss M's entourage is quite large and a hoot!  And the opening discovery of a dead body that then disappears is a very funny set up. In walks journalist Fonda who wants to debunk the socialite and her "friends."  It's a little slow at times in getting to it, but once it does, sparks fly.  These two are very funny together, and this films shows the chemistry.  (along with "You Belong to me" and of course, "The Lady Eve" -- the three movies they are in together)

The Mad Miss Manton(1938) --- I would give this 3.8 out of 5 stars.

 80 min  -  Comedy | Crime | Mystery  - 21 October 1938 (USA)

6.9

Your rating: 

  -/10 

Ratings: 6.9/10 from 1,242 users  
Reviews: 29 user | 10 critic

When the murdered body discovered by beautiful, vivacious socialite Melsa Manton disappears, police and press label her a prankster until she proves them wrong.

Director:

 Leigh Jason

Writers:

 Philip G. Epstein (screen play), Wilson Collison(story), 4 more credits »

Stars:

 Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Sam Levene |See full cast and 

Movie #949 ........................."Something the Lord Made"

Movie #949 "Something the Lord Made" was a very inspirational story about the first heart operations on "blue babies."  What makes this a better than average historical film is that this couldn't have occurred without the talent and hands of an African American, Vivien Thomas (whose picture now hangs in Johns Hopkins hospital because of this achievement)  However, while he was helping, he faced all kinds of racism (like having to walk in the servants' entrance to the hospital, etc.).  What esp. makes this viewing worthwhile, is to watch the change on the Alan Rickman character, the chief surgeon who needs to be guided by Mr. Thomas through the operations.  He takes the credit and then is sorry for it the rest of his life.  So this movie presents a valid theme, and one we don't see a lot of in movies.  So hats off to HBO for making this film, and another shout out to Mos Def, who plays Vivien so so well.  His quiet, sensitivity steals the film from the usual scene stealer Alan Rickman.  

Something the Lord Made

2004 NR 112 minutes      I would give this 3.5 stars out of 5

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Average of 629751 ratings: 4.1 stars

This Emmy-winning HBO film based on a true story follows white surgeon Alfred Blalock (Alan Rickman) and his black assistant, Vivien Thomas (Mos Def), who teamed in the 1940s to develop a procedure to save children suffering from a heart defect. But Thomas's status as a second-class citizen prevented him from getting recognition, as Blalock took all the credit. Their relationship, while close, was complicated by the social realities of the time.

Cast: Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Mary Stuart Masterson,