Reviews (10)

Obvious Inaccuracies Bother Me
I found the movie enjoyable even though Jason Robards hardly resembles Al Capone. The movie has Al Capone slitting the throat of rival Joe Aiello on a train as he attempted to leave Chicago before the Massacre was even planned. However, Joe Aiello died from a hail of bullets on October 23, 1930, as he left an apartment building, more than a year after the Massacre took place. This would have been an easy fact to substantiate, yet the film contains this unnecessary error. The movie also has Albert Anselmi and John Scalise murdered by Capone with a baseball bat in "Capone's mansion" following a banquet honoring them. The killings actually took place in a Hammond, Indiana, road house. In addition, Joe Guinta was a third one clubbed to death at that time. Finally the movie includes Boris Chapman and Adolph Moeller as two who took part in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. That may or may not be, but no mention is made of Fred "Killer" Burke who it is widely believed to be one who definitely took part in the killings. The movie was very entertaining and worthwhile, but the inaccuracies that I have mentioned could certainly have been easily checked out.

Nice!
This is a classic. If you haven't yet seen it, I strongly advise that you should. It's a well known formula - bad guys fighting it out for control of a city. A few mistakes were made with the casting (whose idea was it to have Jason Robards playing Al Capone?) but nonetheless, it is a great film. That is, for a Roger Corman film.

one of the best gangster flicks ever
this movie with a few select scenes inaccurrate was not meant
to satisfy a few egg heads with true incidents as they happen.
we get the basic storey of 2 rival gangs trying to take over the rackets in chicago and the storey and back ground info to keep the viewer interested. one of the down points is that the real life gangsters, were in fact younger men between 25 and 35,
jason robards, may been pushing 50 when he was playing al capone in his 20's. john agar a noted ww2 vet who married
shirley temple plays dion obanion, who is portrayed as a mid 50's
business man instead of a manin his early 30's, the same with
earl hymie weiss, another guy in his mid 50's playing a man in his mid 30's, the gusenburg brother's and jack mcgurn were portrayed in the right age group, but they were older than al capone, as portrayed by jason robards.
well anyway i like the movie, plenty of background info
and a great storey.

A "Massacre" of the facts, but a fun one
"The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" is the kind of film that needs to be accepted on its own terms. To expect by-the-book authenticity, or post-1970 graphic violence, or extensive location shooting, is asking far too much. There's an early scene in which George Segal, as one of the murderous Guesenberg brothers, intimidates a speakeasy owner into buying beer supplied by Bugs Moran. His tactics are similar to those employed by James Cagney in "Public Enemy," and it is this little homage that should tell viewers that the film is going to make a mere pretense of accuracy - and that this is just fine. "Massacre" is a thoroughly entertaining film that never tries to be anything more or less than that.

Fred Steiner's jangling, dissonant score deserves a mention. It has a Charleston-like rhythm, dominated by a piano. It's an oddly effective thing, heard to best effect over the end title.

Among the cast, no one turns in what could be called a brilliant performance, but Ralph Meeker probably comes off best as Bugs Moran, particularly as he utters the crime boss' most famous quote, near the end. Jean Hale definitely got my attention as Segal's girlfriend, and Clint Richie is appropriately sly as Machine Gun Jack McGurn, who masterminded the title killings.

St Valentine's Day Massacre
This is one of the best gangster films ever, It is a gritty, in your face story of a true life event. True, there are some inaccuracies, what true life film doesn't have them, As far as I am concerned, they are insignificant and they don't take away from the film, the main context of the story is there, even with the inaccuracies it is still a top film. Shot documentary style, it is a film about the events leading up to the massacre. Jason Robards, though a fine actor, wouldn't have been my choice for portraying Al Capone, and is acting is a little hammie, George Segal did a fair job as Pete Gusenberg, after all, these were people who thought they could get away with anything, and most of the time, did. But this is not a film about any one person, it is a film about an event that still fasinates people today. I believe that the memory of the St. Valentines Day Massacre will live on forever. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A "McHale's Navy" movie without McHale? Sure. Why not?
If you thought it was strange that the ABC situation comedy "McHale's Navy" was given the opportunity to make a theatrical film in 1964, then you might not know what to make of the decision the following year to release another film in which the title charcter played by Ernest Borgnine does not appear. Granted, Borgnine's character always seemed to working on a different level than his hair brained crew and the inept base commander, but you would have to think that having their Academy Award winning star (for "Marty") skip this sequel would have been a fatal flaw.

The two reasons it is not is because Tim Conway, as Ensigh Charles Parker and Joe Flynn as Captain Wallace B. Binghamton are still engaging in their zanny antics. The rather strange title comes from the idea that Parker is mistaken for a hot shot fighter pilot in the Air Force (which, of course, was still the Army Air Corps during World War II, but for some reason historical fidelity was not high on the producer's list). Of course, every time Parker screws up he gets promoted. Obviously, with Borgnine apparently on vacation (the series would air through 1966), Parker and Flynn get more slapstick to do, but the script by John Fenton Murray, based on William J. Lederer's story, actually slips in some satire to go along with the physical comedy.

Is 1965's "McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force" better than the 1964 "McHale's Navy" film? Well, yes and no. This one is actually funnier because of the free reign Conway and Flynn have, which is a good thing, but getting so far away from the original series (and its star) still bugs me. But despite that potentially fatal flaw this odd little film is actually an enjoyable experience for fans of the series. For others it is a reminder of what military situation comedies were like between "Sgt. Bilko" and "Hogan's Heroes" (i.e., before "M*A*S*H").

Actually, that last aside should be more specific in reference to the early couple of seasons for "M*A*S*H" when the series was very much in the mold of Bilko/McHale/Hogan. It was not until the classic episode "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet" that we first saw how "M*A*S*H" could become television's first true dramedy.

Tin Conway and Joe Flynn steal the Show!
I think this movie is even funnier than the first McHales Navy flick and I only gave it 4 stars because McHale is not in it, nor is Gruber. It dosen't matter that much because, even in the classic TV series, there was many an episode where McHale was away at 'com fleet' and the boys still got up to the usual hijinks. I always figured the main attractions were Parker and Binghamton anyway and this movie is full of their classic slapstick. I laughed a lot. Unlike the comedy of today with sassy brats and women with an attitude, this film will take you back to a simpler time and funny stuff that still stands up today, unless your cynicism has replaced your sense of humor. The Plot? Ensign Parker gets mistaken for an Air Firce General's hot-shot son after Binghamton accidently turns the real boy over to the Russian Secret Police. The more dumber the things that Parker does, the higher he gets promoted as they carry on with the masquerade. I wont spoil it by telling you any more in case you want to see it for yourself. So if you are a fan of the TV series, get this movie. By the way, it's interesting to see the big fat guy who played native chief "Urulu" in the TV series playing the role of a Russian Sailor in this flick. Great stuff!

Flynn and Conway are hilarious turn in a classic performance
I had seen this movie when I was a kid, but I had forgotten HOW funny it was. I laughed myself silly. The opening scene is a little contrived, with Binghamton blowing his cool and pushing the crew one by one into the water. But the real laughs begin when the crew, along with "Old Leadbottom," arrive in port is Australia. One of the movie's highlights is the scene with Parker trying to take Binghamton's picture and then trying to help him up the ladder. The action progresses quickly, and then next thing we know (or so it seems), Parker is the "navigator" on a DC-3, with Binghamton also stuck on board. The laughs don't stop until the movie is over. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A favorite two-hour escape.
The elements of the Flint formula really came together for the first time in this, the sequel to OUR MAN FLINT. James Coburn's superspy Flint inhabits a world somewhat more distant from reality than James Bond. Flint doesn't save the world for a living; it's more of a hobby, along with bullfighting, cooking, martial arts, desert survival, ballet, scientific research, and who knows what else. From the beginning to the final hairbreadth escape Flint is having fun, and so are we--Coburn seldom loses his infectious smile. The story stresses lighthearted adventure over real danger (come to think of it, I don't recall the bad guys ever actually killing anyone). But three decades later, the amazing thing about this movie is its progressive view of women and male-female relationships. The female characters are capable without losing their feminity. (And--who'd have thought it?--Flint has a few genuine words of wisdom on getting along with the opposite sex: "I don't compete with them.") My favorite moment in the movie is Jean Hale rolling her eyes after Flint lights a woman's cigarette--watch for it! Why only four stars? Let's be real here. This is a fun movie, but it's no CITIZEN KANE.

In Man Flint
This is the sequel to Our Man Flint, another spy-themed flick starring suave, hip, super-spy Flint as a secret agent with all of Bond's moves and more. . . or not. Derrick Flint is surely a man who gets the job done when it comes to being a secret government agent. . . but, hip and suave? Well let's just say he is no match for James Bond. James Coburn plays agent Flint and don't be fooled by his tall and lanky appearance; all you spy-spoof fans will still get what you expect. Yes, he still gets the girls, saves the world, and manages to show off his keen martial arts skills while doing so. Although Coburn did learn martial arts from Bruce Lee, he doesn't exactly appear as graceful. . . but then again neither did Diana Rigg with her Judo chops in the Avengers series (she sure did look cute, though). In case you don't remember the first one, Flint had been called out from retirement after he spoiled the infiltration of Kremlin in Our Man Flint, but now it was time for this dangerous man to settle down. Well, apparently, a group of beautiful woman has decided to overthrow the government using subliminal brainwashing in beauty salons. Who else is there but Flint to stop this diabolical scheme, and so we get another taste of "our man flint". Although there is not much originality in the film and the script lacks a bit in both its comedic and dramatic attempts, I will say that there are some pretty alluring visuals. Take the girls for instance. . . they are all sexy and look ultra-hip. The furniture in the film is ultra groovy and just watching Coburn trying to appear slick forces me to watch and giggle. He may not be agent OO7, but if your looking for amusement espionage style, this is the way to go.

Great Bond Spoof
This was the best bond parody until Austin Powers came out, but none the less, it is a great movie. From his many luscious women in skimpy outfits to his lighter that can do over 80 different things, James Coburn as Derek Flint is one of the best ever pretend spies. This is a truly classic spy spoof and everyone needs to see it, because it is Austin Powers' favorite movie!

Okay, yes, it's ludicrously sexist
Nevertheless, it's the best "Bond" parody to come along, better even than its predecessor. After all, where else can you find a film where the incredibly prescient secret agent muses on the awful possibilities of "an actor as president"?

Flint does it again!
Derek Flint is one of a kind with his gadgets, beautiful girls, Karate, Ballet dancing, deductive mind plus sheer audacity, extreme resourcefulness and extreme coolness under fire. After Flint, well, Bond is kind of...boring if you know what I mean. Lee J. Cobb is very funny as his Boss and you even get to see him in drag at one point. No, he's not a poofter but he is in disguise. At the start, Lee J. Cobb is set up by the sexy No.2 henchwoman in a honey trap after being drugged with a powerful narcotic in an Italian restaurant. Discredited and suspended, he desperately calls for Flint's help. Derek comes to the rescue of Cramden with exciting and hilarious results. James Coburn in a send up of Fidel Castro is super and must not be missed. The fight scene is very exciting and in real life, James Coburn had martial arts training from Bruce Lee himself, and it shows. The Karate is Hollywood showy but can be used in real life and death situations. The two big fight scenes are very well done. With bare hands and improvised weapons, Flint overcomes all. I just love the scene when his Boss asks him what happened to the 4 girls he used to have and Flint answers nonchalantly, "I'm trying to cut down". In the story,the President of the USA is replaced by a look alike under the control of the real No.1 bad guy. Shades of Saddam Hussein! The women think they have everything in control but it is the US Army officer who they think are under their thumb that has the upper hand. Not for long when Our Man Flint appears and soon all the bad guys get what they so richly deserve. The world is saved by a super hero. Can one man make a difference? YES! There are times throughout history when one man can and has made a difference.The scene where Flint in a delightful sendup of Fiel Castro hijacks the Russian plane enroute to Havana is great! He pretends to give 2 live chickens to the pilots and then ties them up, literally. Flint then infiltrates by parachute the enemy base in the Virgin Islands!The finale is somewhat unbelievable but entertaining nonetheless as Woman Power overcomes all the male bad guys. Men have one terrible weakness unless they are poofs and that is their testosterone. A beautifully seductive girl leaves them weak kneed and malleable. Deadlier than the male indeed. See it soon. It'll make your day.By Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet ... Read more

Reviews (2)

¡Ay! No se puede comprarla sin subtítulos.
When watching this TV movie, there are blackouts and long pauses between scenes, and the film's heavy hands are so laden with corn that one feels cheated out of the commercials. DA and GCS are dragged through syndicated citcom leftovers in a plot that every viewer knows before watching. Minimal elderly hijinx ensue, and the life's lesson is regurgitated shamelessly. Scott's cliched veediot "mother", a slapstickily inept hitman, and an inexplicable/unexplained mute punk girl provide the gratuitous sideplots. In short, anyone who would like to own this movie should already have taped it of the tele. Lo siento.

Pals--A dream come true or is it?
Ever wish you could stumble across some unclaimed money and use it to your hearts content. It would be a dream come true, or would it?

"Pals" teams Jack Stobbs (George C. Scott)and Art Riddle (Don Ameche)as two life time buddies who lead good, solid, basic lives. That is until they stumble across a brief case full of money that seems to have no owner.

This hilarious comedy captures the hearts of all would be treausre hunters as the pals pursue their dreams with the purchases of simple things they've always wanted. But little purchases soon fail to satisfy Mr. Stobbs as he desires to join the upper class of society.

Fern Strobbs (Sylvia Sidney), Mr. Stobbs aging mother, captures the heart of viewers with her independent wit and that ability of older people to speak their mind while all others be damned. Along the way to improving their life style, Fern creates a few problems of her own, and manages to pick up a young runaway, Certainty Dowd (Susan Rinell). Certainty's colored hair and brash style delight Fern, but irritate Mr. Stobbs creating a delightful, emotionally charged challenge between Mr. Stobbs and Certainty.

As is often the case when money enters the picture, discontentment sets in as Mr. Riddle becomes disillusioned with the new life style. Sadness enters the picture as this lifelong friendship is put to the test.

Of course, all money has an owner somewhere, and this miraculous find belongs to the mob. While Stobb and Riddle pursue their new wealth, the mob stumbles along on a bumbleing struggle to discover who took their money and where they have gone with it.

The delightful surprise ending will leave the most adventurous dreamer wondering if that briefcase, bag or box of money might be hiding around the next curve waiting for discovery.

"Pals" is an ageless adventure all dreamers can enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There was bound to be a Flint sequel, and this one delivers the same kind of zany fun as its predecessor, Our Man Flint. Flint is recruited once again by Lee J. Cobb to be the government's top secret agent, this time to solve a mishap involving the President. Turns out, the Chief Executive has been replaced by an evil duplicate. The new plan for world domination involves feminine aggression, and Flint, with his overpowering charisma, is just the man to turn the hostile forces around. In Like Flint is still over the top, but some of the novelty has worn off, and it doesn't have quite the same edge as the original. Even Jerry Goldsmith's score is a bit more subdued. But the film still has James Coburn and that funny phone. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (17)

A favorite two-hour escape.
The elements of the Flint formula really came together for the first time in this, the sequel to OUR MAN FLINT. James Coburn's superspy Flint inhabits a world somewhat more distant from reality than James Bond. Flint doesn't save the world for a living; it's more of a hobby, along with bullfighting, cooking, martial arts, desert survival, ballet, scientific research, and who knows what else. From the beginning to the final hairbreadth escape Flint is having fun, and so are we--Coburn seldom loses his infectious smile. The story stresses lighthearted adventure over real danger (come to think of it, I don't recall the bad guys ever actually killing anyone). But three decades later, the amazing thing about this movie is its progressive view of women and male-female relationships. The female characters are capable without losing their feminity. (And--who'd have thought it?--Flint has a few genuine words of wisdom on getting along with the opposite sex: "I don't compete with them.") My favorite moment in the movie is Jean Hale rolling her eyes after Flint lights a woman's cigarette--watch for it! Why only four stars? Let's be real here. This is a fun movie, but it's no CITIZEN KANE.

In Man Flint
This is the sequel to Our Man Flint, another spy-themed flick starring suave, hip, super-spy Flint as a secret agent with all of Bond's moves and more. . . or not. Derrick Flint is surely a man who gets the job done when it comes to being a secret government agent. . . but, hip and suave? Well let's just say he is no match for James Bond. James Coburn plays agent Flint and don't be fooled by his tall and lanky appearance; all you spy-spoof fans will still get what you expect. Yes, he still gets the girls, saves the world, and manages to show off his keen martial arts skills while doing so. Although Coburn did learn martial arts from Bruce Lee, he doesn't exactly appear as graceful. . . but then again neither did Diana Rigg with her Judo chops in the Avengers series (she sure did look cute, though). In case you don't remember the first one, Flint had been called out from retirement after he spoiled the infiltration of Kremlin in Our Man Flint, but now it was time for this dangerous man to settle down. Well, apparently, a group of beautiful woman has decided to overthrow the government using subliminal brainwashing in beauty salons. Who else is there but Flint to stop this diabolical scheme, and so we get another taste of "our man flint". Although there is not much originality in the film and the script lacks a bit in both its comedic and dramatic attempts, I will say that there are some pretty alluring visuals. Take the girls for instance. . . they are all sexy and look ultra-hip. The furniture in the film is ultra groovy and just watching Coburn trying to appear slick forces me to watch and giggle. He may not be agent OO7, but if your looking for amusement espionage style, this is the way to go.

Great Bond Spoof
This was the best bond parody until Austin Powers came out, but none the less, it is a great movie. From his many luscious women in skimpy outfits to his lighter that can do over 80 different things, James Coburn as Derek Flint is one of the best ever pretend spies. This is a truly classic spy spoof and everyone needs to see it, because it is Austin Powers' favorite movie!

Okay, yes, it's ludicrously sexist
Nevertheless, it's the best "Bond" parody to come along, better even than its predecessor. After all, where else can you find a film where the incredibly prescient secret agent muses on the awful possibilities of "an actor as president"?

Flint does it again!
Derek Flint is one of a kind with his gadgets, beautiful girls, Karate, Ballet dancing, deductive mind plus sheer audacity, extreme resourcefulness and extreme coolness under fire. After Flint, well, Bond is kind of...boring if you know what I mean. Lee J. Cobb is very funny as his Boss and you even get to see him in drag at one point. No, he's not a poofter but he is in disguise. At the start, Lee J. Cobb is set up by the sexy No.2 henchwoman in a honey trap after being drugged with a powerful narcotic in an Italian restaurant. Discredited and suspended, he desperately calls for Flint's help. Derek comes to the rescue of Cramden with exciting and hilarious results. James Coburn in a send up of Fidel Castro is super and must not be missed. The fight scene is very exciting and in real life, James Coburn had martial arts training from Bruce Lee himself, and it shows. The Karate is Hollywood showy but can be used in real life and death situations. The two big fight scenes are very well done. With bare hands and improvised weapons, Flint overcomes all. I just love the scene when his Boss asks him what happened to the 4 girls he used to have and Flint answers nonchalantly, "I'm trying to cut down". In the story,the President of the USA is replaced by a look alike under the control of the real No.1 bad guy. Shades of Saddam Hussein! The women think they have everything in control but it is the US Army officer who they think are under their thumb that has the upper hand. Not for long when Our Man Flint appears and soon all the bad guys get what they so richly deserve. The world is saved by a super hero. Can one man make a difference? YES! There are times throughout history when one man can and has made a difference.The scene where Flint in a delightful sendup of Fiel Castro hijacks the Russian plane enroute to Havana is great! He pretends to give 2 live chickens to the pilots and then ties them up, literally. Flint then infiltrates by parachute the enemy base in the Virgin Islands!The finale is somewhat unbelievable but entertaining nonetheless as Woman Power overcomes all the male bad guys. Men have one terrible weakness unless they are poofs and that is their testosterone. A beautifully seductive girl leaves them weak kneed and malleable. Deadlier than the male indeed. See it soon. It'll make your day.By Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet ... Read more

Reviews (2)

¡Ay! No se puede comprarla sin subtítulos.
When watching this TV movie, there are blackouts and long pauses between scenes, and the film's heavy hands are so laden with corn that one feels cheated out of the commercials. DA and GCS are dragged through syndicated citcom leftovers in a plot that every viewer knows before watching. Minimal elderly hijinx ensue, and the life's lesson is regurgitated shamelessly. Scott's cliched veediot "mother", a slapstickily inept hitman, and an inexplicable/unexplained mute punk girl provide the gratuitous sideplots. In short, anyone who would like to own this movie should already have taped it of the tele. Lo siento.

Pals--A dream come true or is it?
Ever wish you could stumble across some unclaimed money and use it to your hearts content. It would be a dream come true, or would it?

"Pals" teams Jack Stobbs (George C. Scott)and Art Riddle (Don Ameche)as two life time buddies who lead good, solid, basic lives. That is until they stumble across a brief case full of money that seems to have no owner.

This hilarious comedy captures the hearts of all would be treausre hunters as the pals pursue their dreams with the purchases of simple things they've always wanted. But little purchases soon fail to satisfy Mr. Stobbs as he desires to join the upper class of society.

Fern Strobbs (Sylvia Sidney), Mr. Stobbs aging mother, captures the heart of viewers with her independent wit and that ability of older people to speak their mind while all others be damned. Along the way to improving their life style, Fern creates a few problems of her own, and manages to pick up a young runaway, Certainty Dowd (Susan Rinell). Certainty's colored hair and brash style delight Fern, but irritate Mr. Stobbs creating a delightful, emotionally charged challenge between Mr. Stobbs and Certainty.

As is often the case when money enters the picture, discontentment sets in as Mr. Riddle becomes disillusioned with the new life style. Sadness enters the picture as this lifelong friendship is put to the test.

Of course, all money has an owner somewhere, and this miraculous find belongs to the mob. While Stobb and Riddle pursue their new wealth, the mob stumbles along on a bumbleing struggle to discover who took their money and where they have gone with it.

The delightful surprise ending will leave the most adventurous dreamer wondering if that briefcase, bag or box of money might be hiding around the next curve waiting for discovery.

"Pals" is an ageless adventure all dreamers can enjoy. ... Read more