Description

sical about a family that moves to a small Indiana town and their tomboy daughter who begins a romance with the neighbor across the street, who bears radically unconventional views on love and money. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

On Moonlight Bay Is A #1
Marjorie Winfield(Doris Day) and her family move to a new town so her father George Winfield (Leon Ames) can be living closer to the bank that he works at along with his wife Mrs. Winfield (Rosemary Camp), Wesley Winfield (Billy Gray). Their she meets and falls in love with William Sherman (Gordon MacRae) at first her parents are all for it until they find out that he doesn't support marriage and that he hates banks. Which Mr. Winfield is the president of the Town Bank! So they have a lot of fun with everything fun that they do! Their are a lso a lot of other fun songs that are being sung like Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee, And On Moonlight Bay. This is one Movie Musical that you are for sure to enjoy!

Nostalgic America
Traditional American values and warm nostalgia blend seamlessly in this WB film based on Booth Tarkington's 'Penrod' stories. Starring a young Doris Day and Gordon MacRae and set in Indiana during WWI it is more a sweet story of love and family values scattered with songs than a traditional Hollywood musical. The end of this film will leave a warm feeling in your heart just as it did the public in 1949.

The sets of Indiana during the early 20th century are marvelous and a cast that includes Leon Ames, Jack Smith, Ellen Corby and Rosemary De Camp give Doris Day and Gordon MacRae all the fun and drama they need to fall in love.

Doris Day is the baseball playing tomboy, Margie, who meets William (MacRae) in the unlikliest manner when she takes a gun away from her mischievous little brother, Wesley, and almost shoots William in the process! Of course, love blooms and soon she trades her cleats for high heels as she and William overcome her father's objections and the enlistment of William and his entire graduating class of Indiana U into the army.

Along the way we get snowball fights and the sweet angst of young and innocent love, not to mention some really nice songs. A few belly laughs are provided as Margie's little brother, Wesley, makes up a horrible story about his family to sidestep some homework, based on a 'flicker' he has seen, that has the whole town talking!

Perhaps because this film so often gets compared to the perfect musical of American nostalgia, 'Meet Me in St. Louis,' it doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Doris Day shows that glowing magic that endeared her to audiences around the world and the film itself is a warm and wonderful reminder of America and its values.

Doris plays a tomboy who turns into a lady.
Doris Day plays a teenage girl to parents Leon Ames and Rosemary DeCamp. Doris is pretty much a tomboy. She can lift furniture and play baseball. The father decided to move into this new big house to live in a more refined neighborhood so his daughter could meet someone to marry. Well, while playing baseball and then trying to keep her brother (Billy Gray, "Father Knows Best" tv series 1954-60) out of trouble with the new neighbor kid, she meets Gordon MacRae in the worst way, and even gets a spanking from him. This leads to her first time in an evening dress and afirst date. A nice , cordial romance begins.
Mary Wickes plays the house maid. Ellen Corby plays a school teacher.
Funniest line in the film: Billy gray says, "Everyone in town knows marjorie's old petticoat!"
Sequel: BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON (1953).

Innocent romantic classic!
Outspoken college boy, William Sherman (Gordon MacRae) falls for tomboy Marjorie Winfield (Doris Day) in this fun romantic musical set in a small Indiana town in the early 1900's. After accidentally shooting him and missing in the barn, Marjorie gives up baseball and embarks on a series of romantic adventures with the handsome William.
Their romance is sweet and innocent from beginning to end. They share their first date at the Moonlight Bay amusement park where they enjoy a canoe ride, dance a two-step, win a kewpie doll, and share their first kiss. They sing beautiful songs together and to each other like "Cuddle Up A Little Closer," "Till We Meet Again," and many more.
They also face opposition from Marjorie's father and a near elopement as they find themselves being separated by William's enlistment in the army during WWI.
The nostalgic atmosphere created by the period music, clothes, and sets is unforgettable from the houses to the streets to the old fashioned school house. If you want to get lost in an old-fashioned romance and bring to life the feeling of old town Americana, then this movie is it!!

Fun, Fun
This is a sequel movie to By The Light Of The Silvery Moon and is really funny. Great for the whole family. Doris Day and Gordon Macrae make a cute pair. The kids will love it too! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Still the tightest, sharpest, and most cynical of Hollywood's official deathless classics, bracingly tough even by post-Tarantino standards. Humphrey Bogart is Dashiell Hammett's definitive private eye, Sam Spade, struggling to keep his hard-boiled cool as the double-crosses pile up around his ankles. The plot, which dances all around the stolen Middle Eastern statuette of the title, is too baroque to try to follow, and it doesn't make a bit of difference. The dialogue, much of it lifted straight from Hammett, is delivered with whip-crack speed and sneering ferocity, as Bogie faces off against Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet, fends off the duplicitous advances of Mary Astor, and roughs up a cringing "gunsel" played by Elisha Cook Jr. It's an action movie of sorts, at least by implication: the characters always seem keyed up, right on the verge of erupting into violence. This is a turning-point picture in several respects: John Huston (The African Queen) made his directorial debut here in 1941, and Bogart, who had mostly played bad guys, was a last-minute substitution for George Raft, who must have been kicking himself for years afterward. This is the role that made Bogart a star and established his trend-setting (and still influential) antihero persona. --David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (101)

One of the few movies that's as good as the book
John Huston's directorial debut nails every single possible angle for a great movie: a great hero in Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade, here making a major transition from the gangster roles that made him famous; a great set of villains, from Sydney Greenstreet's ponderous Gutman to Peter Lorre's effeminate Joel Cairo to Elisha Cook's almost cartoonish gunman Wilmer; a great femme fatale in Mary Astor's Brigid O'Shaunessy; a great hunt, in the quest for the fabled Maltese Falcon. Shot scene for scene out of the novel (with some notable cuts of extraneous material, such as a long story Sam tells Brigid while they're waiting, and Gutman's daughter!), "The Maltese Falcon" is utterly clean, economical film-making with no fat whatsoever (except for Gutman, of course). The movie creates a tense atmosphere from its opening shots, with ironic humor simply acting as counterpoint throughout. The final scenes of revelation, where Sam explains to Brigid his personal code of honor, are as emotionally devastating today as they were fifty years ago. The last shots of the movie, as Brigid descends in the elevator quickly to her fate, while Sam takes the stairs, suggests each character is heading to their own private hell, even if at different speeds. A brilliant movie!

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of On DVD
Seldom has any novel been so successfully interpreted on screen: in approaching Dashiell Hammett's seminal private-eye novel, director John Huston not only stayed meticulously true to the plot, he also lifted great chunks on the novel's dialogue directly into the script--and then styled the pace, cinematography, and performances to reflect Hammett's stripped-for-action tone. And the result, to borrow a phrase from the film, is "the stuff that dreams are made of." THE MALTESE FALCON is a iconographic landmark in twentieth century cinema.

The story is well known. Private eyes Sam Spade and Miles Archer are employed by an attractive but decidedly questionable Brigid O'Shaughnessy to track down a man named Thursby--but within hours of taking the case both Miles Archer and Thursby are shot dead, and Spade finds himself embroiled in a search for a legendary lost treasure: the figure of a falcon, encrusted with jewels.

The cast is remarkable. Humphrey Bogart made a name for himself first on the stage and then in films with a series of memorable gangster roles, and was fresh from his great success in HIGH SIERRA; Sam Spade, which offered a new twist on his already established persona, was an inspired bit of casting. Mary Astor had been a great star in silent film, but the late twenties and early thirties found her dogged by scandal; perhaps deliberately playing on those memories, she brought a remarkable mixture of toughness, tarnish, and absolute believability to the role of the very, very dangerous Brigid. And the chemistry between Bogart and Astor is a remarkable thing, a simmering sexuality that more glossy casting could have never achieved.

The supporting cast is equally fine. Although a great star in Europe and the star of a number of 1930s films, Peter Lorre was still something of an unknown quanity in American film; Sidney Greenstreet was a minor stage actor with no screen experience; Elisha Cook was a well-liked but neglected character actor. But THE MALTESE FALCON would fix all three firmly in the public mind, and to some extent all three would continue to play variations of their FALCON roles for the rest of their lives.

FALCON is particularly noted as one of several films that craftily circumvented the notorious "Production Code" by effectively implying but never directly stating the various sexual relations between the characters. Spade has clearly had an affair with Archer's wife, Iva; Archer is clearly a man on the sexual make, and leaps at the chance to tail Brigid. Lorre's lines effectively expose Brigid as man-hungry, and the script and situations do everything but flatly state that Lorre's character is homosexual. Perhaps most startling is the implied sexual relationship between Sidney Greenstreet and the hoodlum Elisha Cook, and the concluding implication that Lorre may well replace Cook in Greenstreet's affections. Just as the plotlines swirl and twist, so do the layers of innuendo and the tangles of sexual uncertainty--all of it adding to the film's feel of uneasy decadence and grittiness.

The DVD bonuses are enjoyable but slight--two film trailers and a documentary that uses trailers to show how Warner Bros. marketed Bogart during the 1930s and 1940s. But even if it came without any bonuses the DVD would still be greatly welcomed: although it has not been restored in a computer-corrected sense, this is the finest print I have ever seen of the film, far superior to anything available on VHS. A great film, a true essential, and strongly, strongly recommended.

A Bogart classic

Director: John Huston
Format: Black & White
Studio: Warner Studios
Video Release Date: February 1, 2000

Cast:

Humphrey Bogart ... Private Detective Sam Spade
Mary Astor ... Brigid O'Shaughnessy
Gladys George ... Iva Archer
Peter Lorre ... Joel Cairo
Barton MacLane ... Det. Lt. Dundy
Lee Patrick ... Effie Perine
Sydney Greenstreet ... Kasper Gutman
Ward Bond ... Det. Tom Polhaus
Jerome Cowan ... Miles Archer
Elisha Cook Jr. ... Wilmer Cook
James Burke ... Luke
Murray Alper ... Frank Richman
John Hamilton ... Bryan
Charles Drake ... Reporter
Chester Gan ... Bit part
Creighton Hale ... Stenographer
Robert Homans ... Policeman
William Hopper ... Reporter
Walter Huston ... Capt. Jacobi
Hank Mann ... Reporter
Jack Mower ... Announcer
Emory Parnell ... Ship's mate

This is a cult classic Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) film. The cast included all-time greats Peter Lorre, Sidney Greestreet, Walter Huston, Ward Bond, and other veterans like Mary Astor and Jerome Cowan.

John Huston directed, and kept the tension high throughout.

This is a story about a statue of a falcon that the Knights Templar had made as a gift for the King of Spain in gratitude. It was lost in transit to the king. Crusted with jewels of immense value, but covered with black lacquer to disguise its worth, it was lost for centuries. This story is about the struggle between factions of villains to get the bird.

If you have never see Bogart in this movie, you have missed one which is partly responsible for his fame.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

Sticking with my VHS copy for now
I would love to own a restored version of the Maltese Falcon on DVD, if it existed. I'll just stick with my 10 year old VHS tape for now. The film needs to be restored. Take a look at the way the second scene with Spade and Mrs. Archer ends. The film always seems broken at this spot, even when it runs on the movie channel.

Defining Bogart
Of all the movies and reviews of Humphrey Bogart, let this one stand and pronounce that the scene when he slaps Peter Lorre's face and tells him, "shut-up and like it..." is the defining moment in Bogart's career and especially this movie.

Well crafted, but a bit loose on plot developement, The Maltese Falcon is what too many mystery/suspense movies trying to live up to an assumed description of what a "noir" film is supposed to be about, pledge their loyalties.

Entertaining more than a fine film, The Maltese Falcon is a tour de force performance for Bogart. If you are a fan, then this is a must see. The camera work is also a good source for cameramen wannabes. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Technical Tour de Force!
I saw this movie a few times when I was a kid, and of course I remembered that it was a good twin/bad twin story. But it was only last year or so when I rented it as an adult that I was bowled over the special effects employed to have Bette play opposite herself. Quite frankly, this movie ought to be part of film studies curricula everywhere--it's an outstanding job! There's a remarkable scene where Bette comes over to talk face to face with her "sister", and even puts her hands on her "sister"'s shoulders. It's wonderful! Excellent use of a good body double for scenes when Bette walks past herself in her bedroom. The only downside is that the men kind of let it down: Glenn Ford as a boring leading man, contended for by both sisters (the war must have still been on or something), and Dane Clark as a misunderstood misfit artist who tells the good twin Kay that she's missing something as a woman. Why would she put up with that, really? But I guess that's so she can flirt with walking on the wild side before being reunited with Glenn. After all, even he knew Kay was lacking something or other, what he described as "icing" to the bad twin when he thought she was the good twin who had suddenly turned up the voltage sexually. Yeah, the real stars are those special effects--don't miss 'em!

Good Bette And Bad Bette, Both In The One Movie
"A Stolen Life", is a real curiosity piece in the work of Bette Davis and was the last of her highly successful films in her incredible run from 1937 - 1946 as Queen of Warner Brothers. This period saw her play everything from Queens, to murderesses, heroines dying of brain tumours and flighty heiresses. This incredible body of work produced an almost unbroken string of Box Office Hits culminating in this rather (for the time) original story. "A Stolen Life", offers fans of this legendary actress like myself, the unique opportunity of seeing her play identical twins, and secondly for witnessing the at times superb special effects of having Davis supposedly performing with herself in many scenes. Even by todays standards the effect of having two Bette's apparently performing in the one scene is stunningly achieved and this excellence to a certain extent makes up for the rather incredible story with its unlikely twists and turns. After this film Bette Davis experienced a real career slump which was only rectified four years later after she had left Warner Brothers, in her stunning comeback film "All about Eve".

Bette Davis plays New England sisters Kate and Patricia Bosworth, and typically in these kind of stories their personalities are for the most part the exact opposite. Kate a struggling artist is the more sensible and down to earth of the two while Patricia tends to be the more forward one who is also quite aggressive about getting the men in her life. Kate while on a trip out to the Maine lighthouse falls in love with young lighthouse keeper Bill Emerson (Glenn Ford), a romance develops however when Patricia sets her eyes on Bill a tug-a-war for his affections begins which eventually sees Patricia winning out and marrying him much to Kate's distress. Comforted by cousin Fred Linly (Charles Ruggles) she then makes the acquaintance of tempermental artist Karnock (Dana Clark) who begins to work with her in her studio which also ignites a stormy love/hate relationship between the two. Kate is surprised however to find Patricia on her doorstep at the Maine house and in an attempt to get along better the two decide to go sailing which unfortunately results in Patricia drowning. Recovering after the accident by a fluke Kate is mistaken for Patricia as she is clutching Patricia's wedding ring and with little thought Kate decides to play along with this charade as a way of finally getting the man she has always loved. However it is not smooth sailing when she assumes Patricia's identity as it is revealed she and Bill were heading for divorce and Patricia has had a string of ex lovers one of which is still very much part of her life. Finding it impossible to maintain the charade any longer Kate flees back to her New England roots where eventually all is resolved and Kate's real identity is revealed . Reconciled with Bill the belief is that the two will start again to use Bill's words and make a new beginning as Kate was always the one he was best suited to of the sisters anyway.

Despite the stories incredible situation and very predictable conclusion there is much to enjoy in "A Stolen Life". Bette Davis does sterling work as the two very different sisters and it's a mark of her great abilities that she doesn't go down the easy path of making each sister the total opposite of the other. Both clearly have shades of grey in them and her acting supposedly against herself in the sister's joint scenes is a masterwork of technique and receptive acting. Glenn Ford handles his role in a capable style but in her first effort as a producer in her new contract with Warner Brothers it is obvious it is Bette's show all the way. The film has a very romantic feel about it with the stunning Cape Cob settings with many of the scenes taking place on mist shrouded hillsides looking down onto crashing waves. First and foremost however this film will always be remembered and talked about because of the special effects that see one performer playing two characters in the one scene. Indeed the technique here is smoothly done and scenes where the two "sisters" actually touch or look each other directly in the eye are quite remarkable. Bette Davis obviously saw this as a challenge as she repeated this in a similiar story about two sisters called "Dead Ringer", in 1964. Directed by veteran director Curtis Bernhardt the usual expertise you expect from all personnel in the golden years of the great Studio system is evident from sets, musical score by Max Steiner and well selected supporting players such as Charles Ruggles and the always excellent Walter Brennan.

"A Stolen Life", makes highly entertaining viewing and shows the multi talents of Bette Davis in full bloom. While certainly not one of Bette's best efforts it has alot to recommend it to viewers. The seemingly tacked on "happy ending", does seem forced and unnecessary but when viewing these types of melodramas one has to look past it's obvious flaws to appreciate the great effort that went into it's construction. It has to be remembered too that in 1946 the idea of two sisters, one good and one bad was still a fresh one and hadn't been done to death yet in countless television productions. Either way Bette Davis always makes compulsive viewing and here she has a field day playing twins who are headed for a collision over the love of one man. Enjoy!

Great Entetainment
This one features Bette Davis at her devious, overwrought best.
If you've ever seen Carol Burnett's parody, "A Swiped Life", you will have a hard time keeping a straight face through the real thing.
"A Stolen Life" is great fun, especially if you're in the right mood.
No one is more watchable than Bette, and I think this is one of her best.
She is wonderfully entertaining in the role(s) of twins, while those around her, particularly the men, react with appropriate bewilderment.When the character Bill marvels that "I can't tell you apart",I want to shout, "That's because they're the SAME PERSON, moron!"
This movie is not exactly subtle. The old standards are present: the crusty old salt with a heart of gold under the gruff exterior, the sensitive loner who needs only to meet the woman who understands him, and the misunderstood, non-conforming artist who tries to "awaken" inhibited Kate but mercifully stops short of telling her that she's beautiful when she's angry.
It all amounts to a lot of fun, though.

pure genius
I throughly enjoyed this film especially the twist in the end. I would love to see it again, and again, and again!!

A Stolen Opportunity
Bette Davis stars as twins after the same man. There's Good Bette, a sensitive, reserved artist, and there's Bad Bette, a socialite apparently without morals. Glenn Ford is the man who finds himself between them. He opts for Bad Bette, leaving Good Bette heartbroken and deflated, willing to accept berating from a rough artist, Dane Clark. However, she gets another chance, following a boating accident in which Bad Bette drowns, and people accidently assume it was Good Bette. She has the opportunity to take her sister's life and get back the man she wanted ... if she can pull it off. Like the twins, there are good and bad points to the film. On the good side, you have Davis and the effects. She does a very good job with two characterizations here, even when one is pretending to be the other. The special effects to create the illusion of twins are surprisingly good for 1946. It's not the usual split-screen work you would expect, but more complicated set-ups where they pass things to each other and appear to be touching. On the bad side would be the story and Ford. The story starts promisingly, but begins to fall apart after Ford chooses Bad Bette. The Dane Clark character is irrelevant to the film, since he does not figure into the resolution. The resolution is also very weak, neatly wrapping up a situation that is far too complicated to be so easily solved. Glenn Ford comes across very weakly here, a combination of a badly drawn character and poor performance. Davis and the special effects help to salvage the film. Too bad the script lets them down. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

The Houseguest Nobody Would Want
Monty Woolley stars as Sheridan Whiteside, a critic with a gift for insults and getting his way, who falls on the porch of the home of a family eager to meet him. He must stay with them while he recuperates, and they discover that having him around isn't the honour they thought it would be as he turns their house and life upside down. Bette Davis stars as his patient assistant who falls in love with a local would-be playwright, and Ann Sheridan stars as a two-faced actress in search of a good role. The performances are all excellent. Woolley blusters and puts down everyone with great style (especially his nurse, Mary Wickes), and Davis is excellent in a straight role that helps to keep the film from becoming too much of a farce and gives it some heart. The dialogue and one-liners are terrific, and the whole movie reminds you of what movie comedies used to be like.

A FINE COMEDY
A wonderful little movie in which Monty Woolley gives his classic interpretation of Sheridan Whiteside, THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER and stayed and stayed.....Bette Davis should be admired for taking the secondary role of secretary Maggie Cutler and for playing her so moderately and so well. Davis was thought by many to be misguided in accepting the decidedly secondary role, but in fact she gives one of her most attractive and unselfish performances - wry and witty, without demeaning herself in the rather stodgy romantic interludes. Reginald Gardiner is brilliant in his role as Carlton while Ann Sheridan is in fine faddle as Lorraine. Ruth Vivian is eerie as the formerly axe-wielding Aunt Harriet and Grant Mitchell and Billie Burke are the perfect flabbergasted hosts. Jimmy Durante pops in to cause assorted mayhem and sing at the piano: "Did you ever get the feeling that you wanted to go? And still get the feeling that you wanted to stay"? It may not make much sense, but it's fun. Originally, the great John Barrymore was to be cast as Whiteside, but he was sick and had trouble with his lines (he died in 1942); Laura Hope Crews was originally going to play Billie Burke's role but she died suddenly during production. Witty lines and great performances make this a special delight from 1941.

Shoddy adaption of a fine play
Kaufman and Hart's stage-play was a gem, hilarious and tightly constructed. Adapting it to film, however, drained much of the life out of it.

First of all, the film version comes across and formless and rambling. It's never clear what the central story is: is it the obnoxious houseguest vs. the owners of the house, or is it his secretary's love-affair, or is it something else? On stage, the division of the play into separate acts imposed a sense of order onto all of this, but in the movie its just stitched together. What's more, the movie adds brief scenes - Whiteside arriving in the town, the secretary skating with her boyfriend - that distract from the plot without adding anything.

Almost every good scene is defeated by incompetent choice of camera shots. Close-ups are brought in at inappropriate moments. The rhythm of the film is constantly in flux.

Monty Wooley does not, in my opinion, play the leading role very consistently. Some of the supporting performances are dreadful: the nurse, the young writer/newspaperman (one of the worst actors I've ever seen). Bette Davis is not bad, but her chemistry with Wooley is erratic; sometimes she laughs gently at him, other times she takes a hard-bitten cynical approach to his behavior. The problem is less with her than with the direction. Ann Sheridan and Billy Burke give the only really satisfying performances.

Bette Davis herself complained: "I felt the film was not directed in a very imaginative way. For me it was not a happy film to make--that it was a success, of course, did make me happy."

Why waste time watching this when you could be watching -
- watching Now, Voyager or Mr Skeffington?

Usually I like to watch a movie twice or even three times when I intend to review it. This one I just can't bring myself to give another chance. Monty Wooley was the star and so aggravating and predominating that Bette Davis' brilliant performance as his secretary was shadowed beyond recall. The best part that didn't involve Bette Davis was the climax when the lady got put into the mummy case. The only other good part that I recall was the skating scene with Bette and Boyfriend.

That is all I can bring myself to say about this. Watch it if you like, but I advise you to rent it first. Then you can make your own judgement.

cruzzardly fun
The scenery in the play was beautiful, but the actors got in front of it.
-Alexander Woollcott

The Stanley's of Mesalia, Ohio are quite honored to have the famous critic and radio personality Sheridan Whiteside come to dinner. Whiteside, an irascible, elitist, buzzard of a man is less thrilled. When he slips on
their front steps, is confined to a wheelchair, and effectively commandeers the Stanley house, no one's very happy. Soon the tyrannical Whiteside is dispensing flippant advice to the Stanley children, having octopus
and penguins delivered to the house, and dining with convicted murderers on loan from the state penitentiary.

On a more serious note (though still played for laughs, of course), he meddles in the nascent love affair between his devoted secretary (Bette Davis) and a local newspaper man (Richard Travis), who just happens to
be an aspiring playwright. When it begins to look like she'll leave his employee to marry her young man, Whiteside brings in a vampish gold digger, who thinks she'll get to be the lead in what Whiteside assures her is
the young man's masterful drama.

The whole thing is as madcap and zany as it gets, but the film is completely dominated by Monty Woolley as Whiteside. Woolley had played the role on Broadway too, a role that George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
based on the profoundly unpleasant but very powerful NY Times drama critic Alexander Woollcott. Rarely has egomania been more amusing, though it's sure to offend some sensibilities. In particular, he's just brutal
to his nurse, Mary Wickes, though she does get off a great line when she finally quits :

If Florence Nightingale ever had the misfortune to take care of you, she would have forgotten about founding the Red Cross, would have quit
nursing, and would have married Jack the Ripper.

Even less politically correct is a cameo by Jimmy Durante as a lecherous vaudevillian. But if these antiquated bits don't entertain you, there's a thoroughly modern homosexual subtext to the whole affair that's sure to
grab your fancy.

It begins with Woollcott, who at one point conceived a mad passion for Harpo Marx, unrequited we're told. Meanwhile, Woolley was Cole Porter's cruising partner, though the two supposedly parted ways because
Woolley only wanted to dally with black men while Porter was less finicky. Finally, there's a character in the film named Beverly Carlton, who's supposed to be Noel Coward. The movie's practically a prequel to
Can't Stop the Music.

Today's viewers can be excused for finding this classic both hoary and whorey, but it remains great cruzzardly fun and it's worth seeing just for Woolley's brilliant performance.

GRADE : B ... Read more

Reviews (5)

timely
At a time when patriotism is more and more being defined as unqustioning support of administration policy, THE MALE ANIMAL offers a timely reminder of what Americanism truly is. I once heard a college president describe what education should be as "a window on the world, and a window is something you can look through from either side." This film provides a gentle reminder of the value of that insight. I still cheer at the end--every time I watch it.

One of the best films!
This a truly great film. I enjoy is immensly. It's funny romantic, and very moving at parts. Henry Fonda, is great as the English teacher husband and his wife, played by Olivia D'Havilland is so beautiful and charming. Jack Carson is funny and charming as well. He's a greta ctor. This is a must see movie, very decent, and one of a kind. I'd recommend it to anyone. It's one you can never get tire of it. Each time of viewing is like the first time. The plot and story is never dull and always makes sence.

5 stars for Nostalgia
The innocence and straight forward holsom theme and action of this film make it one of my lifetime favorites. When something is bothering me, I like to play non-stressful movies and this is one of them. It'll be boring to thrill seekers, but that's the point isn't it?

A Movie That Makes You Think And Laugh
The Male Animal is a movie that has you think about such serious issues as censorship and what it means to be a man, yet it doesn't sacrifice any laughs. Henry Fonda is perfectly cast as the professor who must learn whether he is man enough, and he is well supported by a beautiful Olivia deHavilland and a cast of good character actors. Not enough attention has been given to this movie over the years, and it deserves to be re-discovered. A great movie!

A great, old-time classic comedy, still relevant
This is the kind of socially-relevant James Thurber comedy Hollywood has all but forgotten how to make. Fonda and everyone are great, with a surprisingly nice job by Jack Carson. If you're a sports nut you won't care for the hilarious, all-too-true digs at college sports -- but the central theme of censorship still hits the mark, even if the movie is almost 60 years old. It's a dandy, lively story as well. And if you have an ounce of real American patriotism left (the more heartfelt kind, not the soppy apple-pie variety), you might even cheer at the end. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Billy Wilder's noir-comic classic about death and decay in Hollywood remains as pungent as ever in its power to provoke shock, laughter, and gasps of astonishment. Joe Gillis (William Holden), a broke and cynical young screenwriter, is attempting to ditch a pair of repo men late one afternoon when he pulls off L.A.'s storied Sunset Boulevard and into the driveway of a seedy mansion belonging to Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), a forgotten silent movie luminary whose brilliant acting career withered with the coming of talkies. The demented old movie queen lives in the past, assisted by her devoted (but intimidating) butler, Max (played by Erich von Stroheim, the legendary director of Greed and Swanson's own lost epic, Queen Kelly). Norma dreams of making a comeback in a remake of Salome to be directed by her old colleague Cecil B. DeMille (as himself), and Joe becomes her literary and romantic gigolo. Sunset Blvd. is one of those great movies that has become a part of popular culture (the line "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up," has entered the language)--but it's no relic. Wow, does it ever hold up. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (151)

Grand Guinol scathing satire of Hollywood and its oddities
Sadly, the mastermind behind Sunset Boulevard, Billy Wilder has passed on recently, but his genius lives on in this dark comedic indictment of Hollywood and its star system. The film shot William Holden to stardom and he became a major player in the '50s and it also afforded Gloria Swanson her last piece of public honor and she made a dramatic comeback as faded screen star Norma Desmond. Both she and Holden earned Oscar nominations here as did supporting players Erich von Stroheim (Max the butler) and Nancy Olson (as a script reader and love interest of Holden's screenwriter Joe Gillis). The film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director (Wilder), but unfortunately it lost on all counts.....possibly because Hollywood felt bullied and intimidated by Wilder's not-so-rosy depiction of their little town. Wilder even received death threats during and after filming. Classic dialogue and forever memorable scenes abound (the chimpanzee burial scene is a keeper). This black comedy may seem too morbid and ghoulishly funny for some tastes, but it is one of my absolute favorites........

Dark and Addictive--Melodrama at its best!
Simply put, this is the greatest movie ever. And Gloria Swanson gave the greatest film performance in thie movie. You forget your Bette Davises, your "All About Eve"s, your "Titanic"s, your Katharine Hepburns, your Jack Nicholsons, and your "Citizen Kane"s. This--Hollywood will never produce anything better.

A striking film, visually, emotionally, and in every sense, this is a dark, bitter, darkly comical study of what happens when a faded star (who was a bit out of touch with reality to begin with) clings a little too tightly to her gone days of fame. Gloria Swanson gives a phenomenally powerful, over-the-top performance as Norma Desmond, histrionic ex-silent film star. Bill Holden is fine as the down-and-out screenwriter from Dayton, Ohio, that accidentally gets mixed up with her. Max von Stroheim is magnificently creepy as Norma's devoted butler, and Nancy Olson is heartbreaking as the one innocent with no idea of the trouble that surrounds her.

Every frame is perfectly filmed, every image marverlously conveyed, every line wonderfully spouted. Nothing is wrong or out of place. And practically every line is a classic. Most remember the last line of the film's insane conclusion: Norma, finally completely descended into madness, sweeping dramatically down the grand staircase as cops, reporters, and even Hedda Hopper look on; the music swells to a deafening height, and Norma--with that deranged look in her eyes--breathes, "I'm ready for my closeup..." But the best line of all, and the line that symbolizes everything that stands for the golden days of Hollywood, is spoken when Joe recognizes Norma and makes the mistake of saying, "You used to be big." She eyes him bitterly, raises her chin, looks down her nose at him and cries, "I AM big! It's the PICTURES that got smaller!"

If you have to choose a movie to see one day, and can only choose one, don't let the opportunity go by. See this.

SWANSON SHOULD HAVE WON THE ACADEMY AWARD
Swanson deserved the Academy Award for this picture. The ending shot alone shows this.

A superb film all the way around except for the casting of Nancy Olson. Inexplicably, Olson won a supporting actress nomination from the academy that year, but I fail to see why. Her character gets on my nerves, especially making goo eyes at William Holden. But this is just a little quirk I have.

The film succeeds brilliantly mainly because of Swanson. It has an effecting score, great cinematography and great acting from the principle characters (Olson notwithstanding).

You will not be disappointed with this one!

FULL AND WIDE
While widescreen films date back as early as 1930 (The Bat Whispers), Sunset Boulvard is not a widescreen DVD because Sunset Boulevard is not a widescreen film.

A supreme film: a ltrue andmark in the american cinema.
This movie belongs to the legend from its release. Never before Wilder got down to the deepest regions of the soul, like in this one.
A voice in off (William Holden) will be as introductory device to involve us in this gripping story about the loneliness of an old fashioned actress who lives only in her lost picture images.
In this sense it's worthy to name the only five films which have had a succesful exit about this no mercy theme.
These are: Cries and whispers, The silence and Persona (Ingmar Bergman), The anxiety of Veronica Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder) and American Beauty(from Sam Mendes).
The sense of loneliness grows progressively in this old lady, who decided to stop the physical time and create her own reality between the dark clouds of her ancient memories.
An eternal treasure of the american cinema and in my point of view the masterpiece of that film maker giant called Billy Wilder. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Fitzgerald and Footage make the movie...
"The Story of Seabiscuit" is a perfect example of the ridiculously historically inaccurate Hollywood studio film. Next to the Errol Flynn pre-Civil War movie "Santa Fe Trail", "The Story of Seabiscuit" is probably the most fanciful version of history ever put on film. If that weren't enough, Shirley Temple's Irish brogue is reminicent of the Kevin Costner School of Foreign Accents, going back and forth from perfect to painful.

That being said, the movie does have a few bright spots that carry it through the mush of melodrama. The Technicolor photography is absolutely stunning, for one thing. The story moves along at a pretty good pace, and there's a good amount of humor sprinkled into the script. Cast members Lon McCallister and Barry Fitzgerald ("The Quiet Man") are tops as jockey and wise old horse handler, respectively. Even Seabiscuit's son, Sea Sovereign, was used for close-ups. Best of all is the shockingly innovative technique used by the filmmakers to work in the black and white footage of the actual racehorse, Seabiscuit, in action. Opting for pure black and white segments, the newsreel of Seabiscuit is cleverly added to make a seamless segment into the Technicolor film. Strange, but oddly effective.

The nine minute primer on the intricacies of a horse race, included in the bonus material, is still pretty accurate and informative.

Worth watching at least once to see Fitzgerald's performance and the Seabiscuit footage, plus the Technicolor splendor. Temple fans or Seabiscuit completists may want to own the disc. Harmless fun for family viewing, and suitable for kids who like horsies.

Actually, I was surprised at how much they got right
Books have been written about what Hollywood does to history when it makes a movie, so it is not surprising that "The Story of Seabiscuit" takes great liberties with the story of the famous thoroughbred. But I was actually surprised that so much of the true story made it into the movie. Screenwriter John Taintor Foote must have done some research, because some key details, such as training Seabiscuit to respond to the sound of the bell for the celebrated match race with War Admiral, are worked into the story. But you do get a sense for the film's priorities when you take the fact that Seabiscuit's jockey, Red Pollard, married the nurse who took care of him in the hospital when he was recuperating from this leg injury, and it turns into the big romantic plotline of the film with jockey Ted Knowles (Lon McCallister) falling for Margaret O'Hara (Shirley Temple), the neice of Shawn O'Hara (Barry Fitzgerald), who has come from Ireland to train Seabiscuit for glory. Margaret is studying to become a nurse and likes Ted, but since her brother was killed at the Grand National (a flashback using film from "National Velvet"), she cannot stand to be in love with a jockey. When he is injured (chest and arm rather than leg) they become closer and he agrees to stop racing, but then comes the big race and--well, you can just imagine.

Another way that you can tell where the focus of this film is would be that Shirley Temple gets top billing over Barry Fitzgerald, even though the strength of this film is Fitzgerald working his peculiar brand of magic on this horse and the actual footage of Seabiscuit's big races (at which point the movie suddenly goes from color to black & white so that the actual footage fits). This 1949 film was Temple's last movie, made 14 years after she received a special juvenile Academy Award, and besides the familiar smile why she shouts for "Biscuit!" from the box at the races, she adds little to the film. However, she is still better than the caricature of Wong the O'Hara's Cook.

It is a safe assumption that most people are going to come to "The Story of Seabiscuit" out of curiosity, having read Laura Hillenbrand's best selling novel or seen the critically acclaimed 2003 film, so all of the changes in the historical record are going to really stick out. Charles S. Howard (Pierre Watking), the owner of Seabiscuit gets to keep his name, but that is just about it. Besides, even the interest in seeing actual footage of Seabiscuit racing is less impressive when you can see it in the excellent "PBS American Experience" documentary. But if you have read the book, seen the movie and the documentary, and still have not satisfied your longing for all things Seabiscuit, then this film is certainly worth a look.

Talk About Streching the Facts!
This movie bothered me. None of the historiacal facts and names are correct. Though some were, I think "you can't see the forest because the trees are in the way"." The bad stuff blocked the accurrate information. Also, the film doesn't even focus on Seabiscuit, but on the romance that develops between Shirley Temple and the jockey. In spite of the enormous amount of faults, it is a cute movie.

Historically inacurate but cute none-the-less
I thought this was a cute movie. It had the old movie charm about it. Though it had nothing to do with the REAL Seabiscuit except the racing footage. If you like good ol' happy horse movies and don't care about history then I recomend this movie.

Not based on facts!
Very average movie- I quickly got bored with it.

This movie is not based on facts.

The real racing footage is the only highlight of the movie.

It is really about the romance between Shirley Temple's character and the jockey. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

a very good movie
Mario Lanza is really good in this musical. It's entertaining and has lovely osngs like, "Because yOur Mine," and "The Lord's Prayer," beautifully. I think this film is neat and creative a good storyline as all of Mario's films have. Doretta Morrow is perfect a shis girlfriend, very attractive and lovely. It's well worth seeing and a must for any Mario lanza fan.

lanza was right
beacuse your mine is lousy the scipt is terrible and what lanza had to go through could be called touture not even the title song is perfict his performance of the song angels sing is much better

Because You're Mine Tape!!
I was more than pleased with this seller.. The
packaging was unbelievable.. I love the tape and it was
in very good condition.. Fondly,

Great Score
"Because You're mine" is packed full of fabulous music and although the story line is pure fantasy the movie as a whole is enjoyable and worth watching over and over just to hear the music. Lanza's "The Lords Prayer" was the best ever. To bad they don't make movies like this anymore. A real winner.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Pleasant enough, though not Mario's best
Because You're Mine was Mario Lanza's fourth movie, and was much criticised on its release as artistically a step backwards for the celebrated tenor. Certainly, coming straight after The Great Caruso it suffers badly in comparison with that considerable achievement, but is Because You're Mine really THAT bad?

Actually, this is a fun movie. It lacks the polish of That Midnight Kiss and the sheer high spirits of Toast of New Orleans, but vocally at least this film has more going for it than either of those two movies. Highlights include a definitive Granada (in a key one and a half tones higher than the Three Tenors have ever dared to attempt!), a moving Lord's Prayer and several pleasing operatic and popular selections. My only regret is that All the Things You Are was inexplicably cut from the movie. (You can hear it, however, on the Lanza at MGM soundtrack CD.)

The film also boasts a fine co-star in James Whitmore, who provides much of the movie's comic relief, and a pleasant leading lady in Doretta Morrow of the Broadway Kismet fame. She's no great shakes as a singer, but then - unlike Kathryn Grayson in the earlier movies - she isn't meant to be.

Lanza hated making this movie, and did his best to sabotage it, gaining a huge amount of weight in the vain hope that this would discourage the producers from going ahead with it. As a result, Lanza's weight varies from 240 pounds to 159 pounds (often in successive scenes), a distracting but intriguing sight.

But none of this need detract from your enjoyment of a pleasant movie that includes some agreeable singing from the finest tenor of his generation. And you can always watch Serenade (Lanza's next movie) straight after it for a reminder of what this man could do with a much meatier tale. ... Read more

Reviews (101)

Bogey Still Sets the Standard
It's amazing that Humphrey Bogart's performance in this film (helped by great writing and directing) is still 100% contemporary: sly, cynical, knowing with cop or criminal, tough, tender, edgy, intelligent, and complex--oh, and very, very dangerous. You could imagine his Sam Spade ambling into any of the sequences in "Pulp Fiction" and utterly demolishing any of the characters foolish enough to take him on, verbally or any other way. His character, and the movie built around it, have so many levels, at least a dozen viewings are required. So much is put forth without explicit dialog or action, you find yourself wondering how it was done in the heavily-censored 1940s studio system. Tough, knowing genius is how, courtesy of Dashiell Hammett, John Huston, and the immortal Bogey. Not to be missed.

An absolute classic, a timeless tough-guy masterpiece
This is one of those rare perfect movies. There's absolutely no fat to trim, no scenes that don't work beautifully, no casting you'd like to have seen changed. I never get tired of this one and neither will you. How could you with lines like, "If you were half as sweet as you pretend to be, we'd never get anywhere."?

Bogart at his best!
Being a fan of the highly popular "Casablanca," I checked out this film to see Bogart in action again. I wasn't dissapointed with the results. The film boasts a great cast, (you'll recognize two players from "Casablanca")and develops the characters and plot with great skill. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to purchase it in the near future.

Classic B&W Detective Film that has it all
A cast of famous actors who play their roles to perfection, combined with the back drop of 1940's San Francisco, results in a captivating tale of murder and a lost treasure. Bogart plays to perfection the jaded detective caught in the web of greed and murder. You will be guessing until the last minute of play. This movie has it all-the historical connection, murder, deception. One of the all time greats!

The feel good movie of the century. . .
Casablanca, nope. Citizen Kane, no way. The greatest movie of the century hands down is The Maltese Falcon. Bogart as the ubercool detective Sam Spade is brilliant in this adaptation of the Hammett novel of the same name. Once you play this movie you will lose all track of time while you are chilled in your chair by the shear coolness of Bogart's Spade. Lorre and Greenstreet are just as impressive and add as much color and dimension to fictional characters as has ever been done in the relm of film. To make this short, SEE THIS MOVIE and love like many others have. ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Good movie, weak video, poor sound
"Life With Father" is an enjoyable movie. Unfortunately, the video on the DVD is not that good (though better than a VHS version I've seen). What makes this DVD a real disappointment is the sound quality. Aside from only coming through the left channel, the sound is rather muddled and fuzzy. I suppose one shouldn't complain too much given the low price, but it was still dissappointing.

Life With Father- - - A True Classic
This film has lost none of its appeal over the years. I remember loving it as a child and it still is one of my favorites. William Powell is a joy to behold as the overbearing yet loving Clarence Day Sr. And Irene Dunne gives what I consider to be one of her better performances. Elizabeth Taylor can do no wrong and is as adorable as ever. Fans of Adam-12 might not have noticed that the second son, John, is played by Martin Milner (who, co-incidentally, is in Mr. Roberts with William Powell, though sadly, not in any scenes together). As for the quality of the DVD, I found that my copy has two minor audio problems where the sound drops out entirely. Thankfully it is only for a short moment. Otherwise it is a wonderfully preserved movie, showing some of our finest actors at their best. LOVE IT!!! Five stars all the way!

Winning movie deserves better presentation.
Despite the anomalies of this DVD version, "Life with Father" is still a winning, wonderful movie suitable for viewing by all ages. William Powell stars as the combustible, but essentially kind and loving patriach of a late 1800's family in New York City. A wife and three adolescent boys round out this colorful family.

Powell lends irascible charm to his role while Irene Dunne plays the slightly ditsy, well meaning wife marvelously. The supporting cast includes a young and very beautiful Elizabeth Taylor as a flirtatious visitor as well as the future star of the television series "Adam 12", Martin Milner, as the middle son.

"Life with Father" has plenty of warmth and humor to make it well worth seeing. It just needs a better presentation than in its current DVD format. Catch it when it airs on television for an optimal viewing experience.

A Film worth restoring! Terrible sound makes it unwatchable!
I watched this movie many years ago on AMC. It made me laugh outloud! I cannot understand why the DVD transfer is so poor.The colors are faded and the sound is so garbled that you can't understand what they are saying. This is the kind of film that deserves to be transferred by real professionals. If that ever happens I will buy a new copy. The one I own, I will keep as a reminder that Madacy entertainment=poor quality.

Speaking from a well
I love this movie, but this DVD has horrible sound quality. The actors sound as though they were speaking from a well, and the louder anyone speaks, the worst the garbled effect. I ordered this to replace my VHS copy, but have since discarded the DVD. The VHS is a far superior product. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

All review
I have seen most (if not all) of his movies. Errol has always been at the top of my list for free spirited actors. He was a rogue. His alcoholism did not help his acting any, but he managed to (in his younger years) be a fine actor with character and heart for the roll he was playing. The movie had a good plot but not enough (at least for me) interaction between him and Barbara. Because I am a very outspoken person, Barbara could have done a better job of standing her ground and confronting him, instead of sneaking around.

MEDIOCRE MYSTERY.
In the opening scene of one of the least typical of Flynn's vehicles, Barbara Stanwyck plays a widow who arrives at a house of mourning much to the surprise of the family, who didn't know the deceased was married. Stanwyck reveals that this had been a marriage of convenience to help the young man get his inheritance held by his uncle, Mark (Errol, natch) and it was to be followed by divorce in six months. Flynn is suspicious of Stanwyck, while she definitely has cause to be suspicious of him, all this resulting in a fairly suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse. Dour, leering servants, a hysterically morbid niece (Geraldine Brooks) plus weird nocturnal noises all add flavour to the puzzling plot. Flynn underplays in a properly sinsiter, stuffy, and apparently sadistic manner, but in some scenes he's just plain wooden in his acting technique. An excellent Franz Waxman score tries to elevate the melodrama to greater heights but the rather banal dialogue and ultimately inept plot unfortunately defeat it. Stanwyck does her usual best, however she and Flynn have a decidedly odd chemistry.

A good mystery vechicle for Barbara Stanwyck
This is a little known film of both Barbara Stanwyck and Errol Flynn. While it is not up there with some of Barbara's classics like "Double Indemnity" "The Lady Eve' and "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers" it is still an extremely well made and tense mystery that keeps you guessing to the very end.
The strong, almost Gothic feel that the film possesses really adds to the atmosphere and I feel it is unique in that it was the only pairing of Barbara Stanwyck and Flynn, two of the greatest stars of the 30's and 40's. Errol Flynn performs in a role very different to his normal screen persona but I feel he does an admirable job in the subdued, slightly sinister character of Mark. Barbara Stanwyck i feel never gives a bad performance and she is her usual terrific self as the young woman coming to her (supposedly) dead husband's gloomy estate being determined to discover what really is going on there. The scenes of her trying to find these answers and all the strange things that happen add real tension to the proceedings. The scene where barbara sneaks into the Lab in particular is real nail biting stuff. Director Peter Godfrey who drew many fine performances out of Stanwyck over the years and here he really creates what i think is an exciting little mystery full of murder, dark rooms, the hint of insanity and very clever camera work.
I strongly recommend "Cry Wolf" not only for those like me who really love Barbara Stanwyck but for those that enjoy a good old fashioned mystery done with typical old Hollywood finese.

Taut and engrossing
I thought this movie was taut and suspenseful. It had me guessing about who was really the good guy up until the very end. Barbara Stanwyck gives another solid performance as the rather mysterious heroine. She also looks terrific in clothes that were designed for her by the late, great Edith Head. Errol Flynn makes a convincing, seemingly sinister scientist. Yes, the ending is a bit over the top but in a highly entertaining way. And the photography, sets, and musical score are excellent. This is old Hollywood style movie making in top form. Recommended!

Noir No-No
Late in his life, Errol Flynn added to his impressive catalog of professional disgraces by appearing (drunk) in a stage production of "Jane Eyre." He must have forgotten his utter failure in this dud film noir, in which he plays an ambiguous Mr. Rochester-type character menacing (or is it trying to protect...?) good old Barbara Stanwyck. When the family secret is finally revealed at the end, you'll shake your head in disbelief -- if you're still awake. ... Read more

Description

Sheep rancher, determined to move his herds into cattle country, meets opposition from wealthy ranchers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid Western from Flynn
The year was 1950 and Warner Bros. was looking to recapture their glory days into the foray of very big Westerns the studio produced during the 40s. MONTANA was one of Errol Flynn's last Hollywood films. He would make his last Western for Warner Bros. that same year ROCKY MOUNTAIN, based on a little known Civil War incident and one of my favorite Flynn films. In MONTANA Flynn is a sheepman who invades cattle country in Montana controlled by cattle ranchers Alexis Smith and Douglas Kennedy. Under Ray Enright's direction and under James R. Webb, Borden Chase and Charles O'Neal's scripting it has a feel of the empire building era that was prevalent in numerous Westerns. Flynn is smooth as usual but the film's greatest asset is the colour Cinematography by Karl Freund (Academy Award Winner for THE GOOD EARTH). Composer David Buttolph (THE HORSE SOLDIERS) provided the score.

Montana with Errol Flynn
Flynn is good as sheepherder in confrontation with cattle ranchers in the old West. Alexis Smith co-stars. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Once only pairing of Warners giants Bogart and Stanwyck
I've always been intrigued by "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" and always feel it is a far better film than how it is always judged. The film has a polished look to it and contains a suspenceful story that really keeps you on the edge of your seat, particulary in the second half.

Certainly "The Two Mrs. Carrolls" is no "Casablanca" or "The Maltese Falcon" (but lets face it how many films like that come along in any actors career anyway?) but I feel from repeated screenings of it that it is a most interesting vechicle for Bogart in particular. He plays a character very different from his usual type of personas. I dont see that as a bad thing at all and I feel his craggy looks and dark demeanour are absolutely perfect for the role of Geoffrey Carroll, a psychotic artist who paints portraits of his wives (hence the title) as the Angel of Death and then murders them. His pairing with Barbara Stanwyck is an original and fascinating one which sadly was never repeated but I feel, also contrary to critics belief that they team very well together. Barbara also takes a different stance in this film playing a nice girl who marries Geoffrey for all the right reasons only to discover the dark truth of the man she thought she knew when it is almost too late. Barbara has a sympathetic role here and she performs to her always high standard. She was always excellent as the heroine under threat and she beautifully modulates her performance here, moving from being an inlove new bride to someone witnessing a frightening chain of events that make her fear for her own life . The tension between the two once Sally (Stanwyck) begins to realise what is going on in Geoffrey's mind is the basis for the suspence that occurs in the story. Alexis Smith also scores (no mean task when up against Bogart and Stanwyck)in the role of the slinky and bitchy Cecily Latham who tries to come between Geoffrey and Sally. The scene at the afternoon tea in the Carroll's garden is very funny in a sarcastic kind of way and she is perfect as the femme fatale of the story.

The set up look of this film also adds greatly to its suspense element. The constant chiming of the towns Church Bells, the constant inclement weather through most of the second half as the tension rises, and the dark sombre house really create the right atmosphere of impending doom. Peter Godfrey directed this film and was responsible for guiding Barbara Stanwyck through some interesting and diverse roles like "Cry Wolf" and "Christmas in Connecticut" two of my personal favourites of Stanwyck's work. While not the greatest director at Warner Bros Godfrey here directs with a sure hand and keeps the action bubbling along to the climax of the story.

The other supporting players are also well chosen with the ever reliable Nigel Bruce playing his usual bumbling character, in this case the local doctor Dr. Tuttle who finds himself having to treat Sally for a mysterious "illness' which in reality is Geoffrey trying to slowly poison her. Young Anne Carter really impresses in the role of Geoffrey's strangely mature daughter Beatrice by his first wife. Patrick O'Moore is also excellent as Charles Pennington, "Penny" a former love of Sally's who begins to suspect that all is not well in the Carroll household.

As stated previously the last 30 minutes of the film as Sally begins to suspect Geoffrey's motives and tries to outsmart him are the best in the whole film. It is real nail biting action as Barbara tries to outwit her husband while not letting him know she is on to him. This occurs in the midst of a violent storm once everyone else is out of the house. The scenes where Geoffrey finally loses his mind in homicidal rage and sets out to murder Sally are harrowing to witness and I feel Bogart handles this difficult piece of acting perfectly making Geoffrey a truly terrifing character.

"The Two Mrs. Carrolls" while not a great success on release is a film worth viewing. It certainly contains good work by both stars and is among my favourite Stanwyck performances. Try watching this as a late night treat during a storm, you are guaranteed a real nail biting time indeed!

Stanwyck once again picks Mr. Wrong
"The Two Mrs. Carrolls" may not be one of the great melodramas from 1940s Hollywood, but it is a fine example of the craftsmanship that went into studio pictures in those days. Its primary importance in film history is that this is the only pairing of Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyck. While Stanwyck is superb, Bogart, I'm afraid, acts like he is only going through the motions, perhaps because this is what would have been considered a 'woman's picture' back then. [Compare this to his amazing performance the next year in the manly "Treasure of the Sierra Madre"]

When the movie opens, Geoffrey Carroll [Bogart] is seen fishing with Sally [Stanwyck] in Scotland. They've recently met and are in love. When she accidentally discovers that he is married, she ends the affair. In despair, Geoffrey goes home to his wife and daughter in London. The story suddenly shifts forward a couple of years. We find out that the first Mrs. Carroll died, and now Geoffrey and Sally are married. They live a seemingly idyllic life in the country, until Geoffrey meets Cecily, played by a ravishingly beautiful Alexis Smith. For a time, Sally is clueless, but when questions about how Geoffrey's first wife died, Sally finally suspects what we already know: There is something very wrong with her husband and her marriage.

The story is somewhat absurd, but no one could play a victim, innocent or otherwise, better than Stanwyck, as she was to prove a year later in "Sorry, Wrong Number". She alone is reason enough to see the movie.

The cinematography by J. Perevell Marley is filled with extraordinary light and shadow. He creates a moody, chilly atmosphere. Composer Franz Waxman, who was creating a film score about every eight weeks in those days, provides some interesting music, although it is not nearly as inspired as his compositions for movies like "Sunset Boulevard" and "A Place in the Sun". Frederick Reynolds' editing is extremely tight for the first thirty minutes or so and is an excellent example of just how spare the art of editing can be.

Another Angel of Death
Humphrey Bogart is an artist who paints pictures of his wives as the angels of death right before he kills them. He's been painting a lot in his studio and he won't let wife Barbara Stanwyck see his portrait of her. Hmmmmm? Could this mean ...? The film starts slowly, and doesn't really hit its stride until Stanwyck starts doing the math and adding up the clues. Up until that time, not much happens. Bogart is O.K., but this certainly isn't one of his top performances. Stanwyck is very good once she's given a chance to act later in the film. Alexis Smith, as the intended next Mrs. Carroll, doesn't much register with a distant performance that reveals nothing of her character (although the script gives her little to do anyways, other than a few good exchanges with Bogart at a tea party). I enjoyed the last thirty minutes a lot, but I wish the script and director had managed to make the first two-thirds more interesting. The story has more potential than the film delivers.

And Bogart is a Bonus
Even with out Bogart this is a glorious film. It stands on it's own providing a wonderful atmosphere, suspenseful plot, stellar acting. Bogart is in peak form as well as a psychopathic artist. He plays the role with understated menise. His mental state isn't drilled into you with a jackhammer but is built slowly with. While not as romantic as Casablanca it stands in my mind as one of his best.

Bogart and Stanwyck cast against type
This Hollywood film starring Humphrey Bogart and Barbara Stanwyk was filmed in 1945 but Warners had such little faith in it that it delayed it's release for 2 years. They were probably bewildered at the way director Peter Godfrey used it's two stars since both actors give quiet performances which seem to go against their images. Based on what I presume to be an English play by Marvin Vale, the film is set near London and casts Bogart as an unstable artist who marries Stanwyck to make her the second Mrs Carroll after murdering the first. Bogart's artist predates his paranoid Fred C Dobbs of Treasure of Sierra Madre and his rudeness is funny. Stanwyck gets one shot worth the price of purchase alone. Ascending a staircase, realising Bogart's betrayal with the hourglass-figured Alexis Smith, her acting supported by the expressionist camera angle, her heavy gown and the music of Franz Waxman. The film features a delicious tea party where insults fly and eyes roll. Smith says she is "guarding her diet" and her mother replies "You've practically got a death watch on it". Godfrey gives us a murder without any music and lots of ringing bells to drive Bogart to distraction. ... Read more

Reviews (101)

Bogey Still Sets the Standard
It's amazing that Humphrey Bogart's performance in this film (helped by great writing and directing) is still 100% contemporary: sly, cynical, knowing with cop or criminal, tough, tender, edgy, intelligent, and complex--oh, and very, very dangerous. You could imagine his Sam Spade ambling into any of the sequences in "Pulp Fiction" and utterly demolishing any of the characters foolish enough to take him on, verbally or any other way. His character, and the movie built around it, have so many levels, at least a dozen viewings are required. So much is put forth without explicit dialog or action, you find yourself wondering how it was done in the heavily-censored 1940s studio system. Tough, knowing genius is how, courtesy of Dashiell Hammett, John Huston, and the immortal Bogey. Not to be missed.

An absolute classic, a timeless tough-guy masterpiece
This is one of those rare perfect movies. There's absolutely no fat to trim, no scenes that don't work beautifully, no casting you'd like to have seen changed. I never get tired of this one and neither will you. How could you with lines like, "If you were half as sweet as you pretend to be, we'd never get anywhere."?

Bogart at his best!
Being a fan of the highly popular "Casablanca," I checked out this film to see Bogart in action again. I wasn't dissapointed with the results. The film boasts a great cast, (you'll recognize two players from "Casablanca")and develops the characters and plot with great skill. I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to purchase it in the near future.

Classic B&W Detective Film that has it all
A cast of famous actors who play their roles to perfection, combined with the back drop of 1940's San Francisco, results in a captivating tale of murder and a lost treasure. Bogart plays to perfection the jaded detective caught in the web of greed and murder. You will be guessing until the last minute of play. This movie has it all-the historical connection, murder, deception. One of the all time greats!

The feel good movie of the century. . .
Casablanca, nope. Citizen Kane, no way. The greatest movie of the century hands down is The Maltese Falcon. Bogart as the ubercool detective Sam Spade is brilliant in this adaptation of the Hammett novel of the same name. Once you play this movie you will lose all track of time while you are chilled in your chair by the shear coolness of Bogart's Spade. Lorre and Greenstreet are just as impressive and add as much color and dimension to fictional characters as has ever been done in the relm of film. To make this short, SEE THIS MOVIE and love like many others have. ... Read more

Description

Matt Brennan knows how to open eyes to the potential of the experimental jet, the JA-3. He'll pilot it from Nome over the North Pole to Washington DC and land it on the Pentagon's lap. The distance is beyond the JA-3's tested range. Nor can the craft provide the pressurization needed for flight at 80,000 feet. But Brennan has some modifications in mind. And the courage to put them to the test.

Humphrey Bogart plays Brennan in Chain Lightning's lofth mix of adventure and romance. Eleanor Parker, as a World War II flame who reenters Brennan's life, helps fuel the romance. And the adventure takes wing with a story that, like Breaking the Sound Barrier, The McConnell Story and other postawr films, taps into the era'sfascination with jet aviation. Cleared for takeoff. Year: 1950Director: Stuart Heisler Starring:Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Parker Special Feature: Original Theatrical TrailerB&W/94 Mins. ... Read more