Reviews (10)

THE CLASH OF THE TITANS...
Superlative soaper in which two cousins, Charlotte (Bette Davis) and Delia (miriam Hopkins) have the misfortune to love the same man, Clem (George Brent), with lifetime repercussions for both.

The film begins around the time of the Civil War. Clem returns home, only to find that the woman he loves, Delia, is getting married that same day. She is marrying a rich banker and, though she loves Clem, a ne'er do well, she wants security, so she goes through with the marriage. Seeing and seizing an opportunity, Charlotte declares herself to Clem, telling him how she has always loved him, as he goes off to fight in the war.

Duting the war, Charlotte manages to hook up with Clem long enough to get pregnant. While away, ostensibly to recover from an illness, she has Clem's out of wedlock baby, unbeknownst to the very married Delia. Clem, in the meantime is killed in action. When Charlotte returns home, she converts her stables into a foundling home for war orphans. Among them is a special favorite named Tina.

Charlotte decides to marry her cousin's brother-in-law. On the day of her wedding, Charlotte confesses to Delia what happened between her and Clem and tells her the truth about Tina. Delia, insanely jealous over this, puts a crimp in Charlotte's wedding plans. and the wedding never takes place.

Charlotte remains single and becomes a bitter and formidable woman whom Tina knows as Aunt Charlotte. Delia, meanwhile, has Tina call her "Mummy", much to Charlotte's chagrin. Delia is having the ultimate revenge, as she has never forgiven Charlotte for her amatory trespass. As Tina grows into womanhood, she speaks disparagingly to Charlotte, saving her love and adoration for "Mummy". As Tina approaches the age at which young women marry, Charlotte makes the ultimate sacrifice for her daughter. It is a sacrific that Tina will never know, but one that will allow Tina to have the hapiness that Charlotte never had.

Miriam Hopkins and Bette Davis give wonderful performances, each compelling in its own way. Charlotte's appearance toward the end of the film is a caricature of the proverbial old maid, while Delia remains youthful and vibrant. Undoubtedly, Charlotte's appearance is a result of her suffering, knowing that her own flesh and blood loves another, as a child love's its mother. This is a film that will long be remembered by the viewer for the performances given by these two divas.

"Aunt" Charlotte
Bette Davis stars as an unmarried mother in 1870's America who allows her wealthier, widowed cousin Miriam Hopkins to raise her daughter, thus saving the child and herself from any scandal. The child's father, George Brent, was Hopkins' former fiance, and was killed in the Civil War. Needless to say, it's a painful thing to watch her daughter calling another woman Mother. Davis gives a sympathetic, tightly controlled performance that anchors the film. Hopkins' character isn't well defined, although she manages to give the character some dimension. Brent, in the presence of these two actresses staking their territories, is his customary non-presence. Jane Bryan, as the grown up daughter, again shows that it is too bad her career in Hollywood didn't last more than a few years. She's excellent as the spoiled, headstrong girl. The film has a number of quiet, moving moments, although I found the pacing a little slow. Of course, this isn't the ideal subject matter for me in a film, but I do recognize the quality of the film. I think fans of melodrama and Davis will certainly want to make a point of seeing this movie. I think there are other better unwed mother films, but this one also delivers.

Pretty Racy Stuff!
Considering our perception of those prudish days gone by, this one has a pretty racy storyline rife with infidelity, adultery and illegitimacy. Bette Davis is great in the first half, even while Miriam Hopkins emotes wildly like a silent movie actress. Unfortunately, the movie falls apart in the second half and Davis plays everything on one note, with an absurd makeup job that screams out community theatre. We come to expect a gigantic payoff that is never delivered. A disappointment, but not bad rainy afternoon matinee fare.

Davis triumphs in classic tearjerker
This melodrama / tearjerker is fairly typical of Hollywood from the 1930s to the 1960s - a basically decent woman breaks the moral code of her day and pays dearly for it. The story is interesting, but its biggest asset is Bette Davis' rather subdued performance as Charlotte Lovell, the woman who pays the price. Made in 1939, the film is from Davis' golden period. She was nominated for an Academy Award every year from 1939 to 1943. While her work here is strong, she received no special acclaim for it, possibly because the role is so similar to the one she played in the superior "Jezebel", for which she won an Oscar in 1939.

The movie begins during the Civil War. Socialite Delia Lovell [Miriam Hopkins] is about to be wed, and her cousin Charlotte is in attendance. When Delia learns that the man she promised to marry two years earlier is in town, she sends Charlotte to beg him not to make a scene. The guy is one Charlotte is secretly in love with, and she winds up consoling him in a very intimate fashion. Several years pass. The man has been killed in the war, and Charlotte is running a home for war orphans. When Delia learns that one of the children is actually one Charlotte had out of wedlock and that the father was the dead soldier, she destroys Charlotte's chance to marry a very prominent man. In a cruel twist of fate, Charlotte's daughter grows up in Delia's home and is led to believe that her mother is her aunt.

Bette Davis was a rather unusual star for her time because she was also a consummate actress. As such, she demanded roles in which glamour and beauty were often cast aside. Stunningly pretty in the first part of the movie, she spends the rest of it heavily made up to look like a dowdy old maid aunt. It's a startling transformation. By contrast, her co-star, Ms. Hopkins, typical of female stars at the time, barely ages at all. Hopkins actually gives a sensitive, studied performance, but, because of her determination to portray her character as realistically as possible, Davis totally dominates the picture.

The photography and the sets are first-rate. The script seems a little truncated, and I wonder if the print we have today is an edited one that the studio made for second run engagements. [This was a common practice in those days.] The score by Max Steiner is not one of his best and relies heavily on stock music, such as Old My Darling Clementine and Wagner's Wedding March. But when would he have had the time to compose one of his full, lush scores for the movie? He worked on at least a dozen movies that year. One of those was "Gone With the Wind".

One of Bette Davis's greatest films
I often think that "The Old Maid" has been unfairly forgotten by film historians and tends to get overshadowed by the other famous Davis vechicles of this time like "Dark Victory", "Now Voyager" and "The Letter".

Bette Davis has never been better than in the role of Charlotte Lovell a young lady who by one indiscretion is doomed to spend her life as a bitter old maid not being able to be a real mother to her daughter who turns to others for affection and guidance.

The film is justly famous as the first of two on screen teamings of Davis and Miriam Hopkins which resulted in fireworks on a daily basis as the two locked horns on every aspect of the production making it a nightmare assignment for talented director Edmund Goulding. The behind the scenes story of this production makes very amusing reading as two notorius scene stealers and grand dames went into daily war with each other. Amazingly this terrible tension however never shows on screen and the two women have a terrific screen chemistry that glows in one scene after another.

"The Old Maid" is a beautiful story that is nevertheless one full of tragedy, regret and pent up emotions. Davis's character has a brief affair with George Brent's character after Hopkins character passes him over to marry into money. The result is a child which Miriam Hopkins adapts and raises as her own . "Tina" the child, spends her youth calling Davis "Aunt Charlotte" and never does find out the truth about who her mother actually is. It is the stuff that great soaps are made of but the two actresses here carry it off beautifully and raise the story to great art.

George Brent, so often a co star in Davis vechicles here plays Clem Spencer, the object of both women's affection who is killed in the civil war. Brent's character dies less than half way through the film but his presence remains front and centre for the rest of the film and largely controls the lives of both women. He is very effective in his role and appears less stiff than he does in alot of Warner Bros 1940's vechicles. The great character actor Donald Crisp lends his usual dignified presence to this production. Crisp, an exceptional actor, I dont think ever gave a bad performance and here plays the family Doctor who witnesses over a number of years all the tragedy and heartbreak experienced by the two women and is the only one , with the exception of Hopkins's Delia, who knows Tina's real parentage.

The overraul look of the film is lavish and I feel it resembles an MGM production in some ways more than a Warner Bros one. Attention to sets and in particular costumnes and lighting is first class and in reality Bette Davis, long thought of as no great beauty in Hollywood here looks terrific and in the scene where she is in her own Wedding dress for her marriage which doesn't take place, she looks stunning.

"The Old Maid" has so many wonderfully touching moments and the one that never fails to move me is the concluding moment of the film after Tina's own wedding has taken place and where finally Delia and Charlotte are able to unite and put aside past grievances and regrets and walk arm in arm back through the front door which closes behind them. Never fails to bring great emotion forward!!!

As a less well known film of Bette Davis I know you will be very moved by this excellent production which I would rate among her top 5 performances. ... Read more

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Wake Island, a sandbar rising 21 feet out of the South Pacific, wasamong the first U.S. outposts to be hit by the Japanese, virtuallysimultaneously with Pearl Harbor. Wake Island the movie was amongHollywood's earliest responses to America's being attacked and drawn into WWII.The Marine Corps defenders of Wake became instant war heroes, akin to the martyrs of the Alamo. Nothing could be done to rescue or even to reinforce and resupply them, and they fought on through air attacks and naval bombardment for two weeks until, finally overrun, they were wiped out.

That searing historical context had a lot to do with the movie's impact in 1942, and the sight of the dark forms of enemy planes coming over the horizon for the first time still carries a shock. Wake Island's a decent film, and it doesn't dishonor its subject with sham heroics and grandstanding. But the New York Film Critics voted John Farrow best director of 1942, and that's a reach. The first half hour sets up the allegory of America as melting pot (there's even a corporal named Goebbels), establishes horseplay as the coin of democratic discourse (especially for gyrenes Robert Preston and the Oscar-nominated William Bendix), and fosters familiar friction between new commander Brian Donlevy and civilian construction supervisor Albert Dekker. Then shortly after a beaming Japanese peace envoy has stopped by for dinner, things get rough.The scenes of warfare are more than adequate, but they'd soon be outdone,sometimes in films much less worthy than Wake Island. --Richard T.Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (13)

The Team Behind "Wake Island"
Today, Wake Island remains a lonely outpost and weather station frequented by Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force units on ASW training, semi-annual MSC supply visits, and continued USAF flights from Hickam Field, Oahu. Located in the Oceanic region at Lat. 19.2833 North and Long. -166.6536 East, temperatures rarely rise above 80 degrees Fahrenheit during December. But almost 60 years ago, it was pretty hot for those Warfighters in Dec 1941. Wake Island, a piece of U.S. territory, was practically seen on every USMC Recruiting Station poster and playing at local hometown theaters. Wake Island- the movie- was released to the general public in late Aug 1942 to help boost morale back at home. This epic war film was made as a factual film chronicle, an authentic picturization of America at war- the first of its kind since a Japanese "stab in the back", on 7 Dec 1941, had changed the course of American history. Over 7,000 military personnel and their dependents first saw it when it was premiered all day long at Camp Elliott's base theater (near San Diego, CA), on 24 Aug 1942. In the making of this film, the United State Marine Corps provided Lieutenant Colonel Francis E. Pierce, USMC (later downed 6 confirmed Japanese aircraft, and C.O. of MCAD Miramar, 24 Oct 44-1 Apr 45) as technical advisor, and Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Farrell, USMC, as liaison officer. Never too far away was the supervising officer of the Marine technical staff- Brigadier General Ross Erastus Rowell, USMC (CG 2d MAW; 1884-1947). Additionally, a special weapons detail comprising 60 Marines from Camp Elliott, under the command of Captain Nicholas Pesecans, USMC, manned and received valued training with the various heavy automatic weapons (.30 and .50 caliber machine guns, and a 37-milimeter anti-tank gun), including one 5-inch naval gun. Also, a squadron of eight F4F-3 Grumman fighters (assigned to 2d MAW) from NAS San Diego airfield, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John N. Hart (an old Annapolis classmate of Brian Donlevy, and later C.O. of VMO-251 at Espirito Santo) planned the USMC aerial combat against a group of Ryan SC low-wing monoplanes painted to duplicate the Japanese Nakajima- 96 fighters. They were flown by picture and test flyers led by Herbert L. White, and by Frank Clark- chief pilot of the film unit. Not being outdone, one PBY-5A was shown flown by a naval crew stationed at NAS San Diego. Then, there was the giant Pan American Airways "China Clipper" flying boat (a Martin M-130 with top speed 150 mph and 3,200 mile range), whose pilot dutifully took orders from Brian Donlevy. The three location sites for filming were: the Salton Sea, the Great Salt Lake, and the coastal firing range on Coronado Island's "Strand Beach." With Brian Donlevy (1901 - 1972) depicting Major James Patrick Sinnott Devereux (commander of the Wake Marine Detachment from 15 Oct 1941 - 23 Dec 1941; 1903-1988), there was Walter Abel (1898-1987; depicting island C.O., Commander Winfield S. Cunningham, USN); the comedy team of two USMC privates- Robert Preston Meservey (1918-1987) and William Bendix (this was William's second assignment under the Paramount banner; 1906-1964); Albert Dekker who played the tough civilian construction contractor (familiar to fans in two horror films of 1940- Dr. Cyclops and Strange Cargo); and, young Edward MacDonald Carey (1913-1994) playing the heroic role as in real-life comparison to Major Paul A. Putnam (C.O. of VMF-221 fighter squadron consisting of twelve F4F-3 Grumman fighters). His serious respect for the USMC "Flying Leathernecks" would later get him an assignment with Colonel Walter L. J. Bayler, USMC (then Major Bayler, communications officer of MAG-21, better known to USMC as "the last man off Wake Island"). Thus, the audience of 1942 at all home theaters laughed, cried, and howled as the Marines goofed-off, fought one another, and hit hard the enemy landing force in the final scenes. There was the patriotic Chinese- American, Richard Loo (1916-1975), who portrayed the Japanese special envoy- Saburo Kurusu, on his way to Washington for "peace" negotiations. Who can forget that out of the tomato and carrot fields of Imperial Valley, CA, during the hot summer of 1942, some 150 loyal Filipino- Americans did their patriotic part, too, as they volunteered to portray the invading Japanese forces (now known as the 1,000- strong Maizuru 2nd Special Naval Landing Force). Director John Villiers Farrow (1904-1963) brought more than Hollywood skill to this film. He also brought an intimate knowledge of war. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Canadian Navy until invalided out of service December 1941 after contracting typhus while on duty as executive officer of a Canadian ASW vessel operating in the South Atlantic. Wake Island was his first directing assignment in two years (in 1940 he directed A Bill of Divorcement). And, who would have known that from this film lovely Barbara Britton who played just a brief moment as the wife of the young Marine "Flying Leatherneck" pilot, played by Carey, would shortly after assist a Marine Recruiting Station in Los Angeles, CA. Finally, E. MacDonald Carey soon enlisted into the United States Marine Corps. He was sent to Parris Island, NC, on 7 Dec 1942, for recruit training. Then he was sent to OCS Quantico, VA, for officer training- graduating in April 1943. Would you know it... his first assignment was as a Marine aviation maintenance officer for the Marine Air Group under the command of Colonel W. L. J. Bayler ("the last man off Wake Island") at newly established MCAS Cherry Point, NC. "What a Team!"

In The Days Following Pearl Harbor
Wake Island details the battle for the island in the days immediately following Pearl Harbor. Wake Island was a small, flat piece of nothing in the middle of the Pacific that had strategic importance. When Japanese bombers began attacking, there wasn't much the American Marines stationed there could do, although the battle they put up in the face of hopeless odds was remarkable. Needless to say, the emphasis is on the action here, as it should be, and it is efficiently and effectively played out. There's a number of familiar character actors that give the movie a comfortable feel. The film is competently made, and history lovers and war buffs will no doubt find it entertaining enough.

where is closed captioned?
why not you put on closed captioned and i would buy some of them if that have all of them closed captioned. that would be nice.

Better than remembered
Saw this long ago on TV. We had no Saturday morning cartoons then, only seemingly endlessly repeated WWII movies. This DVD isn't bad at all. Yes, we have all the cliché military and civilian types we're supposed to have in movies of this sort. Yes, we have some VERY well done camera work also. William Bendix and Brian Donlevy great. Worth a look, not "Zulu" but worth a look.

Marines Stand Tall
When you consider the timing of this movie and its propaganda value, then weigh it with the reality of what the Marines did on Wake, this is one of the finest and timeliest movies to come out of WW II.

Good acting, good action, but a few technical details missed (such as calling someone "soldier" - doesn't happen in the Marine Corps; also belt buckles, etc. Minor stuff, given the time). Overall, a solid movie and a good cast.

Well worth Seeing by Marines and those who love 'em.

Semper Fi ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Sinister Little Horror Story Enlivened By Good Performances
At first glance this minor 1941 Paramount feature looks like it really can't make up its mind if it is a Courtroom drama or a horror feature. The film has two distinct parts to it with an abrupt change in direction a little under half way through, however that doesn't stop it from being a quite enjoyable 70 minutes of viewing. Looking like a Universal feature from the time when that studio was still the leader in the horror field, it is instead a Paramount feature which perhaps explains the attempt at some deeper characterisations and a more polished look to some of the special effects, in particular in the "Monster' of the title which here is a murderous Gorilla that has a wrongly convicted man's brain transplanted into it. The first part of the film contains a well acted murder trial while the second half goes off totally into the realm of horror fantasy as the Gorilla thinking like the convicted man, goes on a murderous rampage against those who falsely framed him for murder.

"The Monster and the Girl", tells the story of brother and sister Scot and Susan Webster (Phillip Terry and Ellen Drew), who live in a small midwestern town. Susan yearns for the bright lights of the city and despite warnings from her protective brother, heads off in search of a more exciting life. What she gets in New York is not exactly what she bargained for as she is romanced by smooth talking Larry Reid (Robert Paige) who's intentions are not as sincere as they first seem. Going through a sham marriage to Larry Susan finds herself at the mercy of a prostitution and white slavery ring headed by ruthless gangster W.S. Bruhl (Paul Lukas),from which there seems no escape for her. Coming to her rescue Scot tries to track Larry down and in the process stumbles onto Bruhl's headquarters just as they are about to "remove", one of their group who is as Bruhl states "My favourite thorn in my side". He is shot just as he opens the door for Scot and when the gun is thrown at him Scot mistakenly picks it up and is then blamed for the murder. Totally framed he goes on trial and at length is found guilty of the crime. In the courtroom there is another individual with an interest in Scot , Dr. Perry (George Zucco) who is an eccentric scientist currently working on certain evolutionary theories and seeing that Scot is to be executed seeks his permission to use his brain in his experiemnts. After Scot's execution he performs the operation and transplants the still living brain into the body of a Gorilla in his lab. However during the observation period the Gorilla now thinking like Scot manages to escape and begins a murderous cycle of revenge against those that wrongly framed him for murder and sentenced him to death starting with the District Attorney. One by one the gang are literally crushed to death by the murderous Gorilla and the police are at a loss to explain the cause of death. Only after the Gorilla succeeds in saving Susan from the clutches of Larry Reed by murdering him before being shot himself in the finale is it worked out that the monster has the mind of Scot and was enacting this revenge just as much for the shame brought on his sister as for his own wrongful execution.

Perhaps "The Monster and the Girl", can be viewed as "B" horror nonsense however the whole story is played in a very serious manner by all cast members and certainly the Gorilla is a vast improvement on other "ape" monsters used in earlier horror efforts. The actor within the ape suit does a wonderful job of copying a Gorilla's movements and visually it has a convincing and at times almost frightening demeanour to it. Performances throughout this little effort are uniformally fine. Phillip Terry despite only appearing in the first half hour of the story does a convincing job as the loyal brother seeking to assist his sister but who gets involved way over his head and winds up executed for a murder he didn't commit. Ellen Drew as Susan has the longest role in the film and is also excellent as the naive girl trapped in the clutches of Bruhl's prostitution ring. Horror veteran George Zucco despite his high billing in the cast list, has a relatively small role in the middle of the film as the scientist who transplants Scot's brain into the Gorilla. An actor always so much better than most of the material he had to work with ,here he plays the "mad scientist" role capably once again and his knowledge is vital in the conclusion in working out why this Gorilla has human thoughts. What perhaps is most interesting in "The Monster and the Girl", is the surprisingly modern openess it has when dealing with such issues as prostitution and white slavery that were largely unheard of in the more major releases in the early 1940's. This gives the film , certainly in the first half, less of a horror film mood and more of the feel of a 1930's Warner Brothers gangster drama. The film is beautifully shot for a "B" effort with great emphasis placed on the power of shadows to achieve the desired dramatic effect. Directed with a sure hand by Stuart Heisler the film despite its dramatic change in direction never lets up on the action and its short 70 minute running time ensures that the story doesn't drag in the least.

While certainly not the greatest horror effort from the 1940s, "The Monster and the Girl", makes worthwhile viewing. The Gorilla is one of the more memorable "killers" that movies produced in this decade and depite the obviously outlandish storyline the sincere performances and overall good quality production make up for viewers having to totally suspend belief to get involved in the proceedings. Watch out for the Gorilla with a man's mind bent on revenge in Paramount's curiosity "The Monster and the Girl".

Bizarre, interesting B horror film
2 1/2 stars. Film starts as melodrama with a girl getting involved with a white slavery ring then veers into horror when her avenging brother has his brain transplanted into a gorilla who then goes after the villains. Wild stuff with an interesting cast: Paul Lukas, George Zucco, Joseph Calleia, Rod Cameron, et al. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Classy And Spirited
This Film Wasn't As Bad AS I Thought It Would BE, Greer Garson Is Good, Walter Pidgeon Is Somewhat Boring, Edward Arnold Is Not As Good As I Thought He Would Be, Gladys Cooper Is Mediocre, Agnes Moorehead Is Great, Frances Rafferty Was So Good In This Film, And Tom Drake Had Such A Short Role Though I Love Him And His Acting. Perfect Film For Anybody Whom Is Interested With Any Of These People!

Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon together again
"Mrs. Parkington" was MGM's most expensive film produced in 1944 and indeed at this time Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon warranted the lavish expenditure as they were the most popular couple in films after their smashing sucesses in "Blossoms In The Dust", "Madame Curie", and of course the unforgettable "Mrs Miniver". Here we see Greer Garson playing another "Mrs" however Susie Parkington is very different to the stoic Mrs Miniver of the 1942 film.

Greer Garson was at first very reluctant to take on such an ambitious period piece again so soon after her involvement in the above mentioned films. She was desperate to try a comic role where she could show off her comedy timing learnt in her years of theatre work in London. Louis B. Mayer however saw her as the refined ladylike character of period dramas or sentimental contemporary pieces like "Mrs. Miniver". Indeed his judgement was spot on here as these roles suited Greer Garson to a tee despite her relutance to play them. "Mrs. Parkington" adapted from the novel by Louis Bromfeld of the previous year, contains a sprawling story set over a long period of time and sees Garson age from a young girl who helps her mother run a boarding house in a mining town to being a Grand Dowager of over eighty presiding over the financial and moral decay of her sprawling offspring. The story begins on Christmas Eve where the eighty seven year old widowed Susie Parkington is confronted by a family crisis when her grandson Amory Stilham (Edward Arnold) is in danger of being convicted for using funds illegally and is threatened with a jail sentence. During this evening Susie reflects on her whole life and we are taken back to the time when she first met her husband Maj. Gus Parkington and how her life took its upwardly mobile direction to the heights of New York wealth and success. Along the way we are treated to another beautiful acting experience courtesy of Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon. The screen chemistry here is wonderful to behold but the characters they are playing here are very different to their work as the Minivers. Walter Pidgeon's character in particular is out of a much harder mould than his normally reserved Gentlemenly persona. Not the devoted husband here he is a bit of a scoundrel with a roving eye and a temper. The scene where the Parkington's invite all of New York society to a lavish dinner party and no one turns up is quite disturbing with Maj. Parkington getting all of the staff to join in on the feast in his fury. Greer Garson had never had to age so much in any of her previous films and while the makeup is commendable she really is more convincing as the younger Susie who is in awe of Gus's lifestyle and sophisticated friends. Nevertheless in the scenes of the present on Christmas Eve she lends a commanding presence in the family scenes.

"Mrs. Parkington" supplies a wonderful supporting cast, first and foremost the gifted Agnes Moorehead plays Susie's best friend and support Baroness Aspasia Conti who also happens to be an old beau of Gus. Moorehead is superb as the world weary but kind hearted support for Susie and she received an Academy Award nomination for his role. Edward Arnold shines in the role of the good for nothing Amory and Gladys Cooper and Frances Rafferty round out the family cast as the vicious and selfishly decadent members of Susie's clan. Veteran character actor Cecil Kellaway has a small but memorable role as the Prince of Wales who Susie meets but fails to recognise in a very comic scene at a country hunt when she has come to England to "reclaim" her straying husband.

Being MGM's biggest production that year inevitably the film boasts superb production values. Cedric Gibbons excels yet again in his interior design with the Parkington mansion being like something out of this world. The film displays beautiful black and white photography, costumes that are lavish but also historically accurate and an overall polish to be expected from MGM in its prime. Considering the wartime restrictions during this it is amazing how lavish this film was however costs were cut in nonobvious ways one instance being at the famous dinner party where all the displayed food on the tables was in actual fact cardboard cutouts!!

"Mrs Parkington" is yet another in the long line of Garson/Pidgeon accomplishments that never fail to entertain audiences. Like the Powell/Loy, Gable/Crawford teamings there is a special magic between them that made their work together in whatever roles so special. Here is no exception and for a story dealing with family turmoil, greed and regret it cannot be bettered. Highly recommended viewing.

You gotta give this 5 stars!
This lengthy and not overlong? You'll find this epic entertaining throughout. My favorite moment is when Walter Pidgen shows Garson that fabulous mansion telling her it belongs to a friend of his, when in reality It was a gift for her! In my opinion, the best "married" couple in the movies. Don't miss this.

THE ORIGINAL "MISS ELLIE"?
"MRS. PARKINGTON," the MGM film adaptation of the 1943 Louis Bromfeld novel of the same name is one of Greer Garson's better films. The story unfolds, in flashback, as the elderly Mrs. Parkington reminisces on Christmas Eve, about her life, love, family, and future. It's amazing how MGM could edit a multi-generational epic into 2 hours without diminishing the plot to a synopsis. Imagine squeezing the entire 14 seasons of the TV series "DALLAS" into a 2-hour film, as recalled by Miss Ellie on a Christmas Eve, and you pretty much have MGM's "Mrs. Parkington." Of course, with Greer Garson being the biggest box office draw of the 1940's, and Louis B. Mayer's prize star, you can expect the grand MGM treatment (exquisite black and white cinematography, period costume design, exterior and interior set design, makeup, crystal chandeliers, statuary, antiques, French-stripe wallpaper, "the whole nine yards," as it were...). But the plot, starting in 19th-century Nevada, ending in 20th-century Manhattan, is the core of the film. The storyline runs the epic trail of hardship, pain, struggle, success, reflection, dilemma, and ultimate grand choice which will determine the future. It's all there. It's just more fun to watch when glossed over in the signature MGM manner. Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon once again make for one of the better leading screen "couples" of film's "golden era," right up there with couples like "Crawford and Gable," or "Tracy and Hepburn." In the end, Mrs. Parkington proves to be the "iron fist in the velvet glove." Watching her life will show the audience how life experience evolved her to such inner strength and wisdom, as it does with (hopefully) most people. Due to the story, "MRS. PARKINGTON" is a great film for Christmas Eve....or any eve, for that matter.... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Campy Western Classic!!!
The beautiful Yvonne DeCarlo rules as the notorious"Lola Montez" who was the mistress of the King of Prussia and caused a revolution when he gave her the crown jewels.She then escaped to the American West to the Arizona town of "Salome" where she danced.This is a nice campy western classic!!! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

fun fun fun
serials were never known for great acting, writing or much of anything else. However there are excetions to the rule, and this is one of them. The plot may not be the freshest, and the nazis are about as stereotypical as they come, but some of the ideas that the writers came up with are quite amusing. I especially enjoyed the fake German graveyard in Morrocco loaded with explosives. Also, predictable as every fight scene is, the stunt coordinators and cameramen went out of their way to let everything look just a little bit different (my dad's got about forty serials, and Manhunt has by far the best fights of any of them, it's also in the top five for most amusing cliffhangers). No other serial has the actors fighting at the camera (pardon the grammar, but there's no other way to put it). The sets are also quite remarkable in that a large number of items are placed around for the actors to use. Again don't be looking for a great story or good acting. Just sit back and enjoy what passed for gratuitous violence in the 1940s. It's definitely a winner.

Manhunt in the African Jungle
This is a typical cliffhanging serial with plenty of action and even good creativity, but "someone forgot the jungle". Its painfully obvious this was shot in the foothills surrounding L.A. and unfortunately every episode winds up in in the same old fistfight, usually between "wolf" the Nazi spy and Rod Cameron, the American hero, not to mention the spear chucking arabs, who also become routine and who are dispatched by the dozen, usually accidentally, by their own kind, during the struggle for the gun during fist fights. Okay, but no prize!

Formulaic and uninspired but decent acting & special effects
If you want to study stock plots, standard characters and typical cliffhangers in Republic chapterplays, this is a good academic excesize. But it is a VERY mediocre example of Republic serials generally.... While ANYTHING from Republic's unit was better than 90% of the serials from other studios, SECRET SERVICE IN DARKEST AFRICA (the original title)was perhaps the beginning of the end of the Golden Age. All but three chapters are carbon-copies of one another: two 4-man fistfights (each beginning with Rex Bennet getting the pistol knocked out of his hand) per episode, one shot of the captive Sultan Ben Ali mocking his Nazi captors, a cross-country chase and an explosion at the end. Sure, these are the staples of serialdom, but here they are presented as "bones without flesh." For wartime Nazi-fighters in the serials, Spy Smasher (or any similar Whitney-directed outing) is a better choice.

Wow! Dynamite!
This breathlessly paced, action-packed serial represents the Republic serial at its apogee! After this one, it was all downhill, especially if you watch the horrendous "King of the Carnival." This last one makes "Plan Nine From Outer Space" by that marvelously inept Ed Wood, look like Spy Smasher, the greatest of all Republic's serials. Rod Cameron is the dashing, courageous hero of "Manhunt". Assisting him is petite but fiery Joan Marsh, whose screams rank with those of Fay Wray. Especially the episode where she is locked up in a metal coffin and nearly burned alive. She can also handle that gun nicely, too. The fight sequences, and serial climaxes are done with great elan and imagination. Rod Cameron proves within just a few scenes why he became such a world favorite of action films. He's also dynamite in another fast-paced Republican serial, "G-Men Versus the Black Dragon" and once more he's lucky in having an unforgettable female sidekick: cool, plucky, voluptuous Constance Moore. Wow, you oughta see that gal handle a machine gun. "Manhunt" is probably the last great serial from Republic. You should see this one and then the miserable "King of the Carnival" and see how fast the movie serial had degenerated because of the advent of television. A real tragedy.

You want action? You GOT action!
This is the high point of Republic serials, with action and special effects like nothing I've ever seen.

It's the fearless American agent matching wits with evil Nazi spies in Africa, and giving Hitler's cronies the kay-o!

True, there are the sterotypical things that come with all serials. The uncanny ability for heroes and villains alike not to be able to hold on to a gun, Califonia doubling for every location on Earth (this time it's Africa, sans black folks), and frequent fights that you KNOW are gonna happen (usually because a cowboy Nazi spy was distracted and dropped his gun), and bad guys never seeming to get captured for good and all until the last chapter. But hey, that's half the fun!

This one is impressive, and shows off the work of the famous effects wizards, the Lydecker Brothers.

If you like serials, this one is action all the way! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

One of Republic's best
This serial finds the Republic cliffhanger machine in top gear with top special effects by the Lydeckers, a pounding musical score by Mort Glickman and the usual knowing direction from ace serial director Witney. It is the better of the two serials with Rod Cameron and while it doesn't have as many slugfests as Secret Service in Darkest Africa (aka Manhunt in the African Jungle) it has much less of the juvenile dialogue of that serial and a much more convincing millieu (Republic's North African settings are not that realistic). Although Nino Pippitone as the Japanese mastermind Haruchi has a very fragile looking frame; he exudes considerable reptilian venom. The Republic Golden Age of Serials had one or two more years to go but after viewing this very entertaining and well-made entry you will wish it never ended.

Great, Greater, Greatest!
Of all my collection of Republic's "Golden-Age" Serials, this is the one I can watch again and again and enjoy it better with each viewing. This serial surely equals the "ultimate" cliff-hanger, "Spy Smasher." For one thing, everything in this stunningly directed, edited, acted, photographed chapter-play is so darn fresh. Only a few stock shots are used. Another great plus is the fantastic cast: Rod Cameron,probably the greatest of all action heroes, and the cool, voluptuous and feisty Constance Worth who isn't afraid to get her hair mussed as she jumps right in with machine guns, revolvers and pluck to help out Cameron. You wonder whatever happened to her? By far the most chilling and inventive cliff-hanger ending comes at the end of Chapter 8 and it features our gal, Constance. I won't tell you what happens but it involves a spear. William Witney proves himself to be a master craftsman, an over-looked genius who was the major force that elevated Republic Studio Serials to great art--and fantastic entertainment that can be seen and enjoyed by modern audiences. Bravo to Rod, Constance and Witney!

As Good As It Gets
The best WWII-themed serial, with directors William Witney and Spencer Gordon Bennett teamed up for the first and last time. Witney was a storyteller and Bennett an action man. Together they mixed up a heady brew. The unique ending of Chapter 8 is often mentioned, but it's the end of Chapter One that stands out, with a strong feel of chaos unleashed upon the earth. From then on Rex Bennett has not one but three bad guys to contend with, and they keep him busy right up to the moment civilization is saved in the rather perfunctory ending. One of the few serials that you wish could have been longer.

My favorite chapter ending in serials....
This is yet another of the greatest serials made. It's interesting to compare this great serial with the earlier Universal serial, JUNIOR G-MEN OF THE AIR. There are several notable similarities between the two, though the Republic serial is obviously far better. The raven with a poisoned beak is one of the greatest touches. The villain has to be one of the top serial bad guys. The lady in peril situations are good variations, and Constance Worth's characterization gives us one of the feistiest heroines in the genre. And then, there's Chapter 8, which has to be one of the greatest cliffhanger endings.

ACTION PLUS!
IF YOU LIKE ACTION THIS IS THE SERIAL FOR YOU GUN FIGHTS, FIST FIGHTS EXPLOSIONS,CAR CHASES,AERIAL ACTION I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SERIAL FOR ANYONE WHO ENJOYS THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY.THE ACTING WAS VERY GOOD AND THE CLIFF HANGERS KEPT YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SET. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What ? Huh . . . . ?
It's just too bad the natives only had stick cameras, they probably could have done a better job. I watched this movie because I wanted to see what caused Dennis Hopper's demise with the studios after the success of "Easy Rider". Disjointed, boring, interesting somewhat, really bad lighting and sound. It's a star-studded borefest. Would be great if Mr. Hopper would re-release a new version that made sense. But maybe that's the point. I am grateful Dennis Hopper survived "The Last Movie" to give us what is, to date, a rich an entertaining body of work. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Cameron's work on view....
During the second half of the 1940s and into the early 1950s cowboy actor Rod Cameron ranked up there with Scott, McCrea, Rogers, Elliot, and others. He was a staple "A" budget star for Republic Pictures, making a number of very entertaining oaters. RIDE THE MAN DOWN is one of his better ones, and well repays viewing. The plot is complex but handled deftly. Cameron's acting is quite good, in the tradition of the rugged cowboys of an earlier generation. Supporting roles are handled well. Don't miss this one--it'll make you wonder why more of Cameron is available.

terrific, classic, compact Western; great cast; real treat
Wonderful western. Hidden treat; especially enjoyable surprise as the film is not discussed in Western film books. Amazing the way so many characters, plot twists, romance, action, scenery, morality could be squeezed into this 1-1/2 hour color Republic "A" film. Well written, cast, photographed and directed. Your only regret will be that it is over, only 1-1/2 hours of it. Take a look at the cast! This will restore your faith in Westerns. Good pulp work. Enjoyable. Keep a paper and pencil to keep track of the characters. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Cool film, horrible DVD
I agree with the previous review. This is a very cool film of the early 70's, clearly designed to promote Evel and his planned jump of the Grand Canyon (he had to settle for the Snake River Canyon in Idaho instead.) But this is quite simply the worst DVD transfer I have ever seen. The video quality is terrible. For a few bucks you might consider snatching this up, but don't expect much quality wise. On the other hand, this is my favorite George Hamilton performance, although he doesn't really look like Evel, he really nails the performance. John Milius co-wrote the script early in his career.

Evel Knievel Yes! This DVD No!
I have always liked this movie. It stars George Hamilton in the role of Evel Knievel. Actual Footage of Evel Knievel jumps are included in this biographical story. Perhaps the most famous of his jumps is the one from Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas, it is included here in all of its busted up glory.

The only reason I have not to buy this movie is the horrific transfer to DVD. A bad scratchy print was used, washed out color, no state of the art sound and it is not in the widescreen format. Maybe someday a good transfer will be made, until then I wouldn't get your hopes up on this one!

A True American Hero
This film is a true classic and captures the magic that was Evel Knievel. George Hamilton does a fantastic job portraying Knievel as a larger than life icon--a true American Hero. This is a must see for ALL Knievel or Hamilton fans. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Raiders were trained to operate as a guerrilla outfit
I'll agree with some of the reviews about the movie being a little cornball.

Col. Carlson was sent to China by our government as an observer. He was not a Communist as implied. The Chinese term "Gung Ho" is still used by people in our military today. Remember, China and Russia were allies of ours in World War II. My high school coach was an observer with the Russian Army and he was no Communist.

President Roosevelt's son James was executive officer of Carlson's Raiders and a good Marine. The Raiders were no more blood thirsty than any other Marine with a rifle in combat in WWII.

I would have liked to seen more of the training the Raiders went through.

Gung Ho!
Some movies really don't age well.

GUNG HO! is a creaky old warhorse. It tells the story of the Second Marine Raider Battalion from its formation shortly after the Pearl Harbor to its first mission, a raid on Makin Island. The battalion is a volunteer outfit, so the first question the movie asks of its young stars is "Why do you want to kill Japs?" The Kentucky hick and the Brooklyn toughie and the ordained minister all pretty much say the same thing - because I don't like them.

The film follows the recruits through training and graduation to deployment and finally battle, with a short detour for a sloppy little romantic subplot. GUNG HO!, released in 1943, is based on actual events. The Marines' successful raid was big news back in those bleak days.
This is more a curiosity, a study of the value of propaganda on public morale, than a historically accurate document. Some of its inconsistencies are pretty jarring, though. For instance, Colonel Thorwald (Randolph Scott), the commander of the battalion, gives an inspirational speech at the beginning of training. He exhorts his men to "Cast out all prejudices, racial and religious," and learn to act as a, well, band of brothers. The men may have taken it to heart, but you can't help but notice there are NO people of color, save for a Filipino volunteer, in the unit. The only African-American in the whole movie is a cook on the transport submarine. It probably wasn't noticed when the movie was released, but it does seem a little ironic now.
Col. Thorwald delivers a few more "Some of us are going to die for democracy and freedom and equality" speeches, which are set in stark contrast with the behavior of the Japanese defenders. Fighter pilots laugh as they strafe ground troops. A badly wounded GI, begging for water, is brutally bayoneted by a Japanese soldier.
If you like standard issue war movies, I guess you'll like GUNG HO! Be warned, though. On the cover of the dvd case it looks like Robert Mitchum is pictured next to Randolph Scott, and it seems like they're co-starring. Mitchum has a relatively minor role in this one, much smaller than those played by the likes of Alan Curtis and Noah Beery, Jr.
And the dvd appears to have been transfers from a handy print. There are splotches and splashes and scratches throughout the whole thing. A bargain bin purchase at best.

Bad but Interesting
I'm a high school history and American studies teacher, and I sometimes show this film to my classes as an example of Hollywood's role in WW II. As a piece of cinema, it's pretty bad, filled with a lot of jingoism, ethnic stereotypes, and cornball humor. Compared to our modern portrayals of combat e.g. Saving Pvt. Ryan or Band of Brothers, the battle scenes are laughable--and I do often hear laughs in my classes, often at the wrong times.

As an artifact demonstrating what the United States thought of its war effort in 1943, however, Gung Ho is interesting. Like so many other Hollywood war films, it follows a multicultural unit of American soldiers through their training and into their first combat. The characters' names tell the story: Sgt. McBride the tough Irishman, Lt. Christopoulos the self-made Greek immmigrant, Frankie Montana, the Italian from Brooklyn who has a chip on his shoulder, the fighting half-brothers O' Ryan and Richter, who both love the same girl. The unit commander is the resourceful Col. Thorwald (German/Scandinavian), played by Randoph Scott, who molds them into a single fighting battalion, in much the way that the WWII United States was molded into a unified nation of immigrants to meet the international threat of fascist totalitarianism. Thorwald's motto is "Gung Ho," Chinese for "work together harmoniously." On a number of occasions he makes extended speeches into the camera to emphasize how important it is for the soldiers/audience to follow the motto, win the war, and establish a just and lasting peace.

Several other aspects of the film make it interesting, notably the presence of future stars in early roles. The most obvious is Robt. Mitchum in a small part, but you can also spot Noah Beery, Jr. (later of The Rockford Files and numerous other shows) and Rod Cameron (TV westerns of the 50s). Plus old-time Hollywood character actors like J. Carroll Naish and Louis Jean Heydt. Another interesting aspect is the (very muted) left-wing influence. Thorwald is apparently based on Col. Carlson of the Marine Raiders and perhaps Gen. Stillwell of the army, and is an admirer of the revolutionary Chinese communist army of Maozedong (although neither of the words "communist" nor "Maozedong" is mentioned in the film). He adopts his tactics and philosophy from Mao! Although I don't know Carlson's background, I suspect this facet of the film is based on his actual experience and training philosophy, and I do know that Stillwell traveled with the Chinese Red army during the 1930s and ended up admiring it. (See also the novel Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer, which covers some of the same ground.)

So: Gung Ho is a bad film with some interesting background/sociology connected with it. Better WW II films which employ some of the same ideas include Guadalcanal Diary and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, which I also use sometimes in class.

Interresting War Propaganda Film.
This is first and foremost a WWII Era War Prop movie. It was made when the war in the Pacific was going bad for America and the U.S. wanted to boost morale back home. Therefore expect the Americans to be Brave, Intellegent, etc. One of the interresting things to note is the positive focus on China. If you are interrested in History it is worth reviewing but this is not Pearl Harbor. Enjoyable film but not one of the must owns.

Eroc

Not gung ho about Gung Ho
This is an action adventure film made during the propaganda era of WWII. Loosely based on fact, the Americans are cheerful and brave, the Japanese stupid and cowardly. Look for a young Robert Mitchum as Piggie. My problem is that the copy I received was so dark as to be unusable. Good example of the genre but this edition leaves much to be desired. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A film for a Saturday matinee for kids
It is not a B-series film, but rather a C-series film, or even something somewhat more advanced in the alphabet. But you will get the crooks and the good marshall, the rotten apple in the community, in this case the banker, and we know that from the very beginning, the calvacades and other chases in the « wild » landscape with many horses and quite a few casual or planned casualties, a love affair and even a sacrifice for a woman, a lot of drinking and some card-playing, and all other typical western elements. But do not ask for subtlety in this film : even the timeline is not very correct and some shortcuts are longer, quite longer, than the longcuts, but, well, we can do with that. It is funny.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Richard Dix---should be better known....
THE KANSAN appeared in 1943, and was for all intents and purposes, the last major role for actor Richard Dix. Dix had starred in the 1931 classic CIMARRON, and throughout the 1930s and early '40s starred in some well-done Westerns. Perhaps his biggest role came in Republic Pictures' MAN OF CONQUEST (a retelling of the Sam Houston saga). THE KANSAN is one of his better Westerns, and certainly deserves a viewing from time to time. The present video release, THE KANSAN, is a traditional Western yarn, released by UA, with good production values, and a strong cast, including Jane Wyatt, Albert Dekker, Victor Jory, Rod Cameron, Eugene Pallette, Clem Bevans, and Willie Best (who adds comic relief). The action is swift and true to form. Dix is very solid as the marshall out to clean up the town and undo the machinations of the corrupt clique that originally put him in power. All in all, enjoyable.
This release is in Standard Play speed, and the video quality is fairly decent.

Brisk Grade B western with a twist.
This "small" western has the unusual plot of a town marshall turning on the corrupt politicians who put him in place and equally battling them and the usual outlaws. Dix is fine in the role. Jane Wyatt is love interest. Victor Jory suave as the all too human villain. Oscar nom for Original Score. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

jessi's girls
jessica & seth are newly wed mormon couple and on route by covered wagon from utah territory to arizona. they are hold up by a gang of hoodlums who kill seth and raping jessica. she than avengers her husband death by tracking down the gang who rape and killed her husband .

this is do to bad film for a cowboy film and it got 1 rape see in it but you do see a lot of naking womaning ... Read more

Reviews (3)

this movie was made in 1942 off Vancouver Island
This movie was made in 1942, and made use of the HMCS Prince David which was on leave from thrashing around in the Aleutians looking for the Japanese. My father was an officer on that ship at the time, and thoroughly enjoyed the cast, especially Sir Cecil Hardwicke. I've watched the movie, and of course it is propaganda, it was made in 1942. That is part of its charm. Remember that at the time, no one knew who would win the war. Vancouver Island makes a good stand in for Norway, and Paul Muni is some brave! It is superior propaganda and a fun experience.

Muni, WWII & Tommy-Guns; what more could you want!
This WWII film does have a certain aspect of propaganda to it, but the tense storyline is riveting and will keep you glued to your chair until the last scene (which isn't exactly what you'll be expecting). Muni puts in a fine performance, as always. Overall, an enjoyable war drama.

limp war drama
Poorly, poorly directed WWII drama involving the invasion of Norway by Germans and how it affected a small Norwegian town whose sort-of burgermeister is played sympathetically enough by Paul Muni. He escapes to England by boat to marshall commando forces to liberate his town and destroy a planned airfield. A Hollywood Norwegian is something to hear and see, women in embroidered bonnets and shawls and men with bleach blonde hair talking about the miracle of spawning salmon. The action scene, the destruction of the airfield, had enough pyrotechnics to be exciting, but the director chose to sit way back and watch it, making the whole enterprise impossibly dull. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Released the same year as his directorial debut, Preston Sturges'ssecond feature, Christmas in July, streamlines and supercharges thewriter-director's visual and narrative styles. Sturges again tackles a ripesatirical target (in this case, advertising), and dramatizes it with ahyperbolic plot and over-the-top characters, all clocking in at ablink-and-you'll-miss-it 67 minutes.

Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell), an underling at the mammoth, bureaucraticMaxfield House Coffee company, dreams of his big break through an entry in hisemployer's radio sweepstakes for a new slogan. Jimmy's would-be tagline ("If youcan't sleep at night, it isn't the coffee--it's the bunk!") may be inscrutableto all but its author, but when coworkers engineer a phony victory, even thecompany president swallows the bait. For a moment, at least, Jimmy and hissweetheart (Ellen Drew) are $25,000 richer. How they spend, then lose, thatfortune occupies the rest of the slender story line, setting up Sturges's fableas a comment on greed and community.

Even with Sturges's hectic pacing to push characters and wisecracks at a furiousclip, the feature feels more like a fast-food snack than a full meal, andspecifics of the plot feel very dated. The director's fans will probably findthe biggest Christmas present is the evident expansion of Sturges'sstill embryonic repertory company, which adds some key players in FranklinPangborn, Ernest Truex, and Raymond Walburn. --Sam Sutherland ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Just Picture A Pent-House Way Up In The Sky!
It's hard for me to say who's films I enjoy more Preston Sturges or Ernst Lubitsch, both to me are masters of the sophisticated comedies. It's like asking someone who do you like more Chaplin or Keaton, both are so good you'd hate to chose one or the other. But of all the Sturges films I've seen I have to admit "Christmas in July" I think is his weakest. If judge purely on it's own merits it's a fine lighthearted enjoyable comedy. But when you consider the other films Preston Sturges made, "Christmas in July" doesn't hold up as well. It doesn't seem to have the bite movies such as "The Great McGinty" (Sturges' first film as dirctor), or "The Palm Beach Story" and my favorite "Unfaithfully Yours" had. It seems as if Sturges missed a few marks with this one. I didn't laugh as much as I usually do when watching one of his films. Though there is one great scene dealing with Powell after he thinks he won a contest and goes to the office of Dr. Maxford (Raymond Walburn). That scene made me laugh. And I promise not to give it away.

"Christmas in July" has Jimmy MacDonald (Dick Powell, this was at the time Powell wanted to break away from the musicals) as a poor but in love young man trying to make it big. Currently he has tried out in a contest created by Dr.Maxford (Walburn) who is looking for a new slogan for his coffee. Jimmy has entered in many contest before and naturally has lost them all. But, the way he figures it, one of these days he's bound to win one. So he and his sweetheart, Betty (Ellen Drew) hope for the best. If Jimmy wins they can finally get married. But everything will not work out so fine.

While at work some co-workers over-hear the news of Jimmy entering the contest and they decide to have a little fun at his expense. They tell him he's won the contest and a prize of $25,000!

Sturges' comedy starts to take off at this point, but I just can't help but feel the movie leaves much to be desired. And I only say this because I've truly enjoyed Sturges' past films. But this one is just not quite up to par with the rest of them. If you've never seen a Preston Sturges comedy, please do not start here.

So is there anything good to say about this movie? Yes. As I said before it is a cute old-fashioned comedy that has one of those happy endings we've come to expect from Hollywood. It does have a few funny scenes and is a harmless silly comedy. I would only suggest that fans of Sturges watch this one.

Bottom-line: One of Preston Sturges weaker comedies. Not to say this is a bad movie. Has a few bright spots but doesn't live up to Struges' other films such as "Unfaithfully Yours", "The Palm Beach Story" & "The Lady Eve".

A splendiferous gem.
"Christmas in July" is among the finest and yet unappreciated comedies of Hollywood's golden age. Dick Powell, a newcomer at Paramount studios, portrays Jimmy MacDonald who has entered a coffee company's slogan contest with the grand prize being $25,000. Some of his co-workers play a joke on him with a fake telegram. Jimmy and his fiance, Betty Casey (Ellen Drew) become excited as Jimmy is thought by his boss as being such a genius at writing slogans that Jimmy gets his own office and Betty is his private secretary. After they pick up the check (surprising to Dr. Maxford of Maxford House Coffee who doesn't know of anybody selected), they go on a shopping spree buying something for everybody in their neighborhood. Probably the only reason for the film's title is because Ellen Drew gives the line "It's like Christmas, in July." When Dr. Maxford finds out nobody was selected and the check was supposedly fake, Shindel Bros., the department store of which they went on a spree, starts to take everything back until the pompous Dr. Maxford steps in. Shindel is convinced when the townspeople take Jimmy's side and not Dr. Maxford's. Later, as they view Jimmy's new office, his boss is still impressed with his slogan-writing ability until when he hears Jimmy didn't really win and it was a joke. His boss goes into a fury, but Betty takes Jimmy's side by saying that he belongs in his own office becuase he thinks he has ideas and gives a short speech to him. In Maxford House, Dr. Maxford gets into a huge fit when he is distressed at the contest and that his workers have finally selected a winner. Guess who? Quite likely, the cycle will start again. Amazing film, and quite amazing what you can fit in a short 67 minute film.

A comic gem from Sturges.
One of Preston Sturges' best but least known films stars Dick Powell as an ordinary guy who becomes the victim of a prank and thinks he has won a slogan-writing contest. Altho the events are fairly predictable, this does not detract from the laughs. As with all Sturges films, plenty of fine old character actors (including, as always, William Demarest) are on hand. Why doesn't anyone make 67 minute movies anymore?

Not a masterpiece
This film combines a rather dull, predictable and contrived plot with inconsistent characters. William Demerest plays a minor role in the movie, but "Uncle Charlie" is by far its highlight. A couple of slapstick scenes including a fishfight (yes, a fishfight) prevent the movie from having no redeeming aspects. Potential purchasers, beware! This is not a Christmas movie. Set in July, it takes its title from one line in the movie. Not worth the price of admission or even rental.

IF YOU'RE A PRESTON STURGES FAN
then you'll enjoy this VHS. It's typical Sturges. Very predictable but enjoyable, nothing spectacular, though. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Raiders were trained to operate as a guerrilla outfit
I'll agree with some of the reviews about the movie being a little cornball.

Col. Carlson was sent to China by our government as an observer. He was not a Communist as implied. The Chinese term "Gung Ho" is still used by people in our military today. Remember, China and Russia were allies of ours in World War II. My high school coach was an observer with the Russian Army and he was no Communist.

President Roosevelt's son James was executive officer of Carlson's Raiders and a good Marine. The Raiders were no more blood thirsty than any other Marine with a rifle in combat in WWII.

I would have liked to seen more of the training the Raiders went through.

Gung Ho!
Some movies really don't age well.

GUNG HO! is a creaky old warhorse. It tells the story of the Second Marine Raider Battalion from its formation shortly after the Pearl Harbor to its first mission, a raid on Makin Island. The battalion is a volunteer outfit, so the first question the movie asks of its young stars is "Why do you want to kill Japs?" The Kentucky hick and the Brooklyn toughie and the ordained minister all pretty much say the same thing - because I don't like them.

The film follows the recruits through training and graduation to deployment and finally battle, with a short detour for a sloppy little romantic subplot. GUNG HO!, released in 1943, is based on actual events. The Marines' successful raid was big news back in those bleak days.
This is more a curiosity, a study of the value of propaganda on public morale, than a historically accurate document. Some of its inconsistencies are pretty jarring, though. For instance, Colonel Thorwald (Randolph Scott), the commander of the battalion, gives an inspirational speech at the beginning of training. He exhorts his men to "Cast out all prejudices, racial and religious," and learn to act as a, well, band of brothers. The men may have taken it to heart, but you can't help but notice there are NO people of color, save for a Filipino volunteer, in the unit. The only African-American in the whole movie is a cook on the transport submarine. It probably wasn't noticed when the movie was released, but it does seem a little ironic now.
Col. Thorwald delivers a few more "Some of us are going to die for democracy and freedom and equality" speeches, which are set in stark contrast with the behavior of the Japanese defenders. Fighter pilots laugh as they strafe ground troops. A badly wounded GI, begging for water, is brutally bayoneted by a Japanese soldier.
If you like standard issue war movies, I guess you'll like GUNG HO! Be warned, though. On the cover of the dvd case it looks like Robert Mitchum is pictured next to Randolph Scott, and it seems like they're co-starring. Mitchum has a relatively minor role in this one, much smaller than those played by the likes of Alan Curtis and Noah Beery, Jr.
And the dvd appears to have been transfers from a handy print. There are splotches and splashes and scratches throughout the whole thing. A bargain bin purchase at best.

Bad but Interesting
I'm a high school history and American studies teacher, and I sometimes show this film to my classes as an example of Hollywood's role in WW II. As a piece of cinema, it's pretty bad, filled with a lot of jingoism, ethnic stereotypes, and cornball humor. Compared to our modern portrayals of combat e.g. Saving Pvt. Ryan or Band of Brothers, the battle scenes are laughable--and I do often hear laughs in my classes, often at the wrong times.

As an artifact demonstrating what the United States thought of its war effort in 1943, however, Gung Ho is interesting. Like so many other Hollywood war films, it follows a multicultural unit of American soldiers through their training and into their first combat. The characters' names tell the story: Sgt. McBride the tough Irishman, Lt. Christopoulos the self-made Greek immmigrant, Frankie Montana, the Italian from Brooklyn who has a chip on his shoulder, the fighting half-brothers O' Ryan and Richter, who both love the same girl. The unit commander is the resourceful Col. Thorwald (German/Scandinavian), played by Randoph Scott, who molds them into a single fighting battalion, in much the way that the WWII United States was molded into a unified nation of immigrants to meet the international threat of fascist totalitarianism. Thorwald's motto is "Gung Ho," Chinese for "work together harmoniously." On a number of occasions he makes extended speeches into the camera to emphasize how important it is for the soldiers/audience to follow the motto, win the war, and establish a just and lasting peace.

Several other aspects of the film make it interesting, notably the presence of future stars in early roles. The most obvious is Robt. Mitchum in a small part, but you can also spot Noah Beery, Jr. (later of The Rockford Files and numerous other shows) and Rod Cameron (TV westerns of the 50s). Plus old-time Hollywood character actors like J. Carroll Naish and Louis Jean Heydt. Another interesting aspect is the (very muted) left-wing influence. Thorwald is apparently based on Col. Carlson of the Marine Raiders and perhaps Gen. Stillwell of the army, and is an admirer of the revolutionary Chinese communist army of Maozedong (although neither of the words "communist" nor "Maozedong" is mentioned in the film). He adopts his tactics and philosophy from Mao! Although I don't know Carlson's background, I suspect this facet of the film is based on his actual experience and training philosophy, and I do know that Stillwell traveled with the Chinese Red army during the 1930s and ended up admiring it. (See also the novel Once An Eagle by Anton Myrer, which covers some of the same ground.)

So: Gung Ho is a bad film with some interesting background/sociology connected with it. Better WW II films which employ some of the same ideas include Guadalcanal Diary and 30 Seconds Ove