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Maybe "nobody's perfect," as one character in this masterpiece suggests. But some movies are perfect, and Some Like It Hot is one of them. In Chicago, during the Prohibition era, two skirt-chasing musicians, Joe and Jerry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), inadvertently witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. In order to escape the wrath of gangland chief Spats Colombo (George Raft), the boys, in drag, join an all-woman band headed for Florida. They vie for the attention of the lead singer, Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), a much-disappointed songbird who warbles "I'm Through with Love" but remains vulnerable to yet another unreliable saxophone player. (When Curtis courts her without his dress, he adopts the voice of Cary Grant--a spot-on impersonation.) The script by director Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond is beautifully measured; everything works, like a flawless clock. Aspiring screenwriters would be well advised to throw away the how-to books and simply study this film. The bulk of the slapstick is handled by an unhinged Lemmon and the razor-sharp Joe E. Brown, who plays a horny retiree smitten by Jerry's feminine charms. For all the gags, the film is also wonderfully romantic, as Wilder indulges in just the right amounts of moonlight and the lilting melody of "Park Avenue Fantasy." Some Like It Hot is so delightfully fizzy, it's hard to believe the shooting of the film was a headache, with an unhappy Monroe on her worst behavior. The results, however, are sublime. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (176)

COLD RECEPTION FOR A HOT WILDER CLASSIC
MGM continues to insult the intelligence of the DVD consumer with this 'special edition' of one of Billy Wilder's all time great romantic comedies. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are witnesses to the Valentine's Day Massacre. To stay alive the boys shave their legs, dress in drag and join an all-girl's band fronted by sulty singing sensation, Sugar Cane (Marilyn Monroe). Featuring Monroe's inimitable renditions of "Running Wild" and "I Wanna Be Loved By You" this is a keeper in every respect.
Unfortunately MGM Home Entertainment has done a terrible job of remastering the print. Though the black and white picture exhibits exceptional contrast and clarity, the obtrusive inclusion of edge enhancement, artifacting, aliasing, fine detail shimmering and digital grit make for a really unattractive visual presentation. The sound has been remixed to 5.1, but the dated fidelity shines through. Still, the audio is presented at an acceptable listening level and without much distortion or echo.
Extras included a trip down memory lane with Tony Curtis that is overly long and really dragged down by Curtis' flamboyant hamming it up for the cameras. Oh well, I can't imagine too many people are asking him to shave his legs these days. Bottom line: If you absolutely must have the film I guess you could waste your money on this version. My hope is that someone at MGM will want to revisit this classic at a later date and with a more reputable transfer. Here's to hoping. Besides - nobody's perfect!

Still A Gem
"Some Like It Hot" is one of those great classics that has as much comedy in it as well as it does romance. It is the story of two musicians, Joe and Terry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), who intenvertidly stumble upon a mob squad hit (The St. Valentine's Day Massacre) and must flee from Chicago to Florida in hopes of getting away from the mobsters. Realizing that two female musicians are needed, Joe and Terry decide to dress in drag, board a bus filled with female musicians, and head to Florida. Of course, one of the leading ladies on board the bus, is the sexy Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), who has guy problems and represents the rebel.

The film has such balance between the comic exploits of Curtis and Lemmon looking out for their backs and trying to pull off this whole female identity without getting caught, and the romantic parts, which involve Curtis' character trying to woo Sugar Kane. While Curtis is trying to make the moves on Sugar Kane, Lemmon's character is trying to escape the advances of a multi-millionare who continally attempts to make the moves on him/her.

There is plenty of double-meaning humor, slapstick humor and fun romance in this movie. It has a little of everything, and it is understandable why most still refer to this movie as a gem.

Transvestites, yipes!
This one shows up on Turner Classics every once in a while, but I hadn't focused till the other night. There's something creepy about dressing like a woman. Some burly men may have no qualms, but I find transvestites, ahh, uncomfortable. I know. It's me and there's nothing wrong with that. In Some Like It Hot, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon are cross-dressing to escape some killers. They're not very attractive as women, which allowed me to enjoy the sex identity farce. Farce in America means screwball comedy. If Monroe crawled into my Pullman berth to sleep, hmm -- Lemmon pops one no doubt, and I'm not sure it was in the script if you know what I mean. Then he's swarmed by bunches of scantily clad ladies and the fun escalates. Monroe wears two dresses that give an interesting illusion. What a bod.

No pastry, no butter and no sugar

Director: Billy Wilder
Format: Black & White
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: May 1, 2001

Cast:

Marilyn Monroe ... Sugar Kane Kowalczyk
Tony Curtis ... Joe (Josephine)/Junior
Jack Lemmon ... Jerry (Daphne)
George Raft ... Spats Colombo
Pat O'Brien ... Mulligan
Joe E. Brown ... Osgood Fielding III
Nehemiah Persoff ... Little Bonaparte
Joan Shawlee ... Sweet Sue
Billy Gray ... Sig Poliakoff
George E. Stone ... Toothpick Charlie
Dave Barry ... Beinstock
Mike Mazurki ... Spats' Henchman
Harry Wilson ... Spats' Henchman
Beverly Wills ... Dolores
Barbara Drew ... Nellie
Edward G. Robinson Jr. ... Johnny Paradise
Paul Frees ... Funeral Director/Josephine
Joe Gray ... Mobster at banquet
Harold 'Tommy' Hart ... Second Official
Ted Hook
John Indrisano ... Waiter
Tom Kennedy ... Bouncer
Fred Sherman ... Drunk
Tito Vuolo ... Mozzarella
Al Breneman ... Bellhop
Pat Comiskey ... Spats' henchman
Penny McGuiggan ... Band Member
Laurie Mitchell ... Mary Lou, Trumpet Player
Helen Perry ... Rosella
Sandra Warner ... Emily, Band Member
Grace Lee Whitney ... Band Member
Marian Collier ... Olga, Clarinet Player
Joan Fields ... Band Member
Mary Foley ... Band Member

The cops bust a "funeral" with a casket full of booze--and nothing else. Joe/Josephine (Tony Curtis) and Jerry/Daphne (Jack Lemmon), desperate for work as a bass fiddle player and saxophonist, take a spot as members of an all-girl band, in drag, for a Florida tour, and to get away from gangsters who know that they witnessed a gang war murder by Spats Colombo's (George Raft) gang. There they meet Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (Marilyn Monroe) who has a drinking problem.

The pair are attracting the notice not only of the mob, but also of suitors, including millionaire Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown) and others, and Joe/Josephine falls for Sugar. This is a wacky movie which provides a lot of laughs, and brings out hidden a talent for comedy from Curtis. Billy Wilder did a great job.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

Hot Comedy, Hot Action, Hot Actress, Hot Jazz, Hot Movie
too Hot to be true, Marilyn Monroe,Tony Curtis,Jack Lemmon star in one of the greatest and funniest comedy classics of all time. The 1959 farse about the two musicians Joe and Jerry, who disquise themselves as women under the names Josephine and Daphne to land jobs as the sax and bow fidle in an all girls jazz band.Where they meet gorgeous songbird Sugar Kane. Also where Daphne meets womanizer Osgood Fielding III.When Daphne is stuck with that "dirty old man" Joe(Curtis) borrows a cup of that sugar(Monroe)as the millionare of Sugar's dreams "Shell Oil Junior". If Your looking for a classic comedy this is a good one. It's AFI's number 1 laugh, or if you want more marilyn, you love her in this one and if your looking for more Curtis and Lemmon they're hysterical in this one. See this classic comedy and you'll get "the sweet end of the lolly pop". As Osgood said at the end "nobody's perfect" well thats true ,but Some like it Hot may be a perfect comedy and as Sugar sang "I'm through with love, well she's not through for long ,but We are not through with this movie, because we love this film so much and we all want to "borrow a cup of that sugar" every time we watch it, "ZOWIE" "Yeah real hot" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Howard Hawks's Scarface was one of the first "talkies" to reclaim the fluidity of the late-silent masterpieces, while also tapping into a feral new energy that came with talking smart and moving smarter on the motion picture screen. Outgunning such contemporaries as Little Caesar and The Public Enemy--in terms of both its ferocious death-dealing and dynamic style--the movie was interfered with by censors and kept out of circulation for decades thanks to its eccentric producer, Howard Hughes. It remains the gold standard among classic gangster pictures. Paul Muni's portrayal of Al Capone surrogate Tony Camonte etched a screen original: a merciless assassin who's not only reflexively criminal but pre-civilized, almost pre-evolutionary, a simian shadow ready to rub out the world if he can't have it for his own. This is still one of the greatest, darkest, most deeply exciting films American cinema has produced. Those demonically ubiquitous X's--starting with that titular scar gouged into Tony's cheek--rival "Rosebud" for resonance. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Quintessential Gangster Film of The 30's!
A gritty, fast-paced gangster film that ranks among the best. Made with a purpose in 1932, take into consideration for example the complete title; 'Scarface: The Shame Of A Nation' and the beginning credits that ask you 'what are you going to do about it?', very straightforward but naïveté aside this is one of the best gangster films of all time. Paul Muni delivers a powerful performance, he is a driving force throughout the movie. Muni plays Tony Camonte, a character that is more than 'loosely' based on Al Capone. He easily dominates every scene he's in except one or two scenes that get stolen by Ann Dvorak as his sultry little sister. George Raft is equally impressive as Tony's best friend and partner in crime. Boris Karloff, fresh from the success of 'Frankenstein' just one year earlier, also appears as one of Tony's competitors. Ann Dvorak is excellent as Tony's sultry sister who is also in love (or is it lust?) with Tony's best friend (Raft). Scandalous at the time particularly because of the unhealthy relationship between Tony and his sister. Those hints of incest are still kind of shocking today. Some of the elements were taken from real life like the 'St. Valentine Day Massacre' for example and the name 'Scarface' is directed at Al Capone himself. The ending is a knockout. An intense and brutal gangster drama that's brilliantly directed by Hawks. A remake was attempted in the 80's with Brian DePalma and Al Pacino in the role of Tony Montana, but was much more graphic and violent not to mention overlong. This remains the best of the Scarface films. From a scale of 1-10 I give this film an 8!

Vintage Gangster Film
Howard Hawk's Scarface will always stand as the epitome of the early 1930's gangster film. The early talkie stars Paul Muni as Tony Camonte loosely based on the real life Al Capone. The acting in the film is typical of the time period. Muni goes way over the top in his portrayal( something that DePalma tried to get Pacino to do in the 1983 remake).

There are several performances that stand out in the film. Most notably is that of the coin flipping George Raft as Camonte confidante Guino Rinaldi. The script was written by Ben Hecht who won an academy award even though it gets somewhat preachy in order to satisfy the movie censors.

The action is particularly well filmed even with the technical limitations of the day. Note the shootouts and car chases. Another interesting plot device is the placing of X's throughout the film when something bad is about to happen.

This film was long unavailable on DVD but can now be found in that format as part of the Scarface Deluxe Gift Set. I'm hoping that the film will be remastered and released on its own with some additional bonus material. For now the only additional material that is available on the disc is an alternate ending Hawks shoot to get the film past the Film Review Board which has a captured Camonte led off to face trial and execution for his crimes ( a sort of crime doesn't pay message that the censors insisted on).

Do yourself a favor and see Scarface as it was meant to be. This important film is in many ways superior to the 1983 remake but does stand as a bookend to that piece. Get out and see this great piece of gangster history.

LOOK OUT I'M GONNA SPIT!!!!!
i find it amazing to think of all of those scarface fans out there that haven't heard of or haven't seen the original. i know it's hard to get but if you can track it down watch this movie you will be glad you did.seeing the 1983 version first, the 1932 version seems condensed but it carries the same weight and the same great storyline.it is a film that definitely stands out from other films of that time period and a film that needs to be respected because it IS the original and it spawned the greatest movie of all time. A MUST SEE!!

Shame of the Nation
Scarface. No, not the one with Al Pacino. This is the one from 1932. And it happens to be one of the most potent crime films ever made, as well as one of the most pioneering -- and most undervalued. As the gangster craze swept Hollywood, Howard Hawks, one of the most ground breaking yet unheralded directors in the history of film, forged Scarface in 1930, but because of its commitment to realism (that means lot's of killing), it was delayed for two years by the Production Code of Ethics. When it was finally released, the damage was done: it bombed, and this awesome, scary film would ultimately fall into obscurity. Amazing. The script was based on the 1930 novel by Armitage Trail, which was ultimately inspired by the exploits of Chicago's crimelord, the one and only Al Capone. Sadly, little of the original novel was kept except for the title. However, it must be said that the Big Man loved the film. Paul Muni plays the title role to perfection. His very presense is a threat.

Tony Camonte (Muni) is brutal, arrogant, stupid, and, dare I say, ape-like. He is a killer who revels in gaudy clothes and fast cars. But Tony is also insanely jealous of his slinky sister (Ann Dvorak), to the point where his feelings toward her are obliquely incestuous. Sick of working for middle level gangsters, Tony sets out to make a name for himself written in the (unseen!) blood of his enemies (including rival gangster, Boris Karloff!). Tony's boss Johnny Lovo (Osgood Perkins) not only has the power that Tony desires....but also the woman he wants, Poppy (Karen Morley). Among the film's inventiveness, a visual X motif appears throughout to signal that a murder is imminent. The X symbol takes such prolific forms as shadows, gown straps, wooden cross-beams, a facial scar, and a strike symbol on a bowling score sheet. Awesome. Indeed, the film works on the subconscious mind, rather than throwing the violence in your face. This was taken to a new level by Hitchcock......but it all began here. The original Scarface. Now, the 1983 remake by Brian De Palma has its own value: Al Pacino's Tony Montana became the modern, archetypal crime boss; but the film is way too long, with many scenes bordering on campy. In the end, one can only hope the original Scarface get's the DVD treatment it deserves.

X
Paul Muni the greatest character actor of all time. Paul never liked film acting, he loved the stage. His short Hollywood career was an unhappy one longing for his love for the stage. Also see Paul Muni as another tough gangster out for revenge in Angel On My Shoulder! ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Huston was only one of five directors on this expensive, all-star 1967 spoof of Ian Fleming's 007 lore. David Niven is the aging Sir James Bond, called out of retirement to take on the organized threat of SMERSH and pass on the secret-agent mantle to his idiot son (Woody Allen). An amazing cast (Orson Welles, Peter Sellers, Deborah Kerr, etc.) is wonderful to look at, but the film is not as funny as it should be, and the romping starts to look mannered after awhile. The musical score by Burt Bacharach, however, is a keeper. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (84)

The funniest James Bond spoof ever
The "Austin Powers" series sure could take a few hints from "Casino Royale". Whereas the former is predictable and obvious, "Casino Royale" is a good example of that famous dry British wit.

What else could you call it when wealthy Ursula Andress tells Peter Sellers that she gets her newspapers BEFORE they're printed, and he replies, "Well, I suppose you can do anything if you've got money..." Or when Joanna Pettet comments on her estranged mother's oversized bed and is told, "The German army was very large in those days."

I've withheld one star because the movie does tend to have an episodic feel, due to the five different directors who worked on it, and because it drags a bit in places. Still, the witty jokes more than make up for those small flaws. Considering how many hands this movie was in, it's amazing that it works so well. Woody Allen gives his funniest performance as neurotic Jimmy Bond. Peter Sellers is terrific, as usual. And watch out for an appearance by a young Jacqueline Bisset as Miss Goodthighs.

The movie's crowning touch is the music by Burt Bacharach, which manages to be catchy and loopy at the same time.

Finally, one of the best reasons for owning rather than renting this movie is that some of the gags go by so fast (Q's laboratory, the art auction), that you might not catch them all until your second or third viewing. And, like a lot of good humor, some of the jokes just get funnier with repeat viewings.

Somewhat entertaining, mostly dull
Casino Royale isn't a terrible movie; it has its moments, and, truly, has a superb cast. That much can be said for it. There are some scenes with Ursula Andress, especially, that are very funny, and the beginning isn't without its humor. However, in general it is a mess of movie; loosely constructed, making little to no sense, and, what is worst of all, not even all that funny. I had to fight off sleep to keep consciousness during the movie, something I almost never have to do. I actually got to the point where I couldn't wait for it to end. Not the worst film ever made, but save your money. Rent it if you must.

When your castle is blown up, it's back to the spy game....
Great movie! Sir James Bond played by David Niven is forced back into espionage after his hedonistic lifestyle is so rudely interrupted by a British army 81mm mortar team who proceeds to blow up his perfectly splendid castle. Bond prefers a life of luxury to the dangers of espionage but alas, it's back to the good old Walther PPK 7.65mm and the cloak and dagger for 007. As Dr. Michael Lim the Travelling Gourmet, I too appreciate the finer things in life. I think all fans of Bond do too. The music is remarkable. This is THE movie where that immortal and hauntingly seductive song, by Burt Bacharach, "The Look of Love" reaches deep into your libido and psyche, especially when you hear it for the very first time. My old friend, the late Derek Nimmo (of BBC's Just a Minute) fame is in this movie too as a would be Bond under the tutelage of Sir James himself. If you see the current Austin Powers movies you'll see where the scipt writers got many of their ideas from. Beautiful and seductively voluptuous women abound as in all 007 movies. In those days, men were men and women were not pale, anaemic anorexic skin and bone creatures but lovely, curvaceous and meaty damsels. Bring back the real women I say to Hollywood film makers! This spook spoof will put a smile on your lips and cheer you up no end. Certain scenes like when Sir James demonstrates how things should be done are really hilarious. Above all, the classic British ideal of stiff upper lip, always remain calm and unruffled no matter what, and carry on regardless...comes through all the antics, bombs, blondes and bullets. David Niven comes a very close second to Patrick Macnee (The Avengers) when it comes to playing cool, calm and collected English gentlemen. And so, what's next? As Austin Powers would say, "Yeah, Baby, Yeah!!!" By Dr. Michael Lim The Travelling Gourmet ENJOY!

Bond Spoof and Origins
Charles Feldman's Casino Royale is a colorful psychedelic mess 36 years after its creation. This film was the first James Bond spoof and a precurser of the Austin Powers movies. Unfortunately the film has not aged well.

The jokes seem as dated as the costumes. There is virtually no plot to speak of and the sequences by four directors seem cobbled together by fifth director Val Guest.

The film is fun to watch with its great musical score and vibrant colors but there isn't a lot holding this thing together.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the disc is the 1954 TV movie from Climax Mystery Theatre which featured Barry Nelson as the American spy Jimmy Bond. It was fun to see the true origin of the Bond franchise.

Bottom line rent it for its place in history but don't go in expecting greatness.

Swingin' 60s on Film!
Funny! Despite it's bad reputation, if you are a NON-square, ya gotta check this out. Lots of in-jokes, droll humor and laugh-out-loud stuff. Sure, it's a bit "all-over-the-place" but that's half the fun. The go-go dancing Indians, the cavalry charge into the casino, the Dr. Caligari sets, the pop-art sets and psychedelic FX, the Frankenstein monster... it's all like a mix of The Magic Christian, Monty Python, Blazing Saddles, Austin Powers, The Monkees "Head" and James Bond thrown into a Swingin' Sixties blender. And all those great stars strutting their stuff!! Don't worry about the plot... this is eye candy. If you want a generous 60s fix, just sit back and let this flow over you. All that and the Burt Bacharach score. I'm glad I bought this. ... Read more

Reviews (176)

COLD RECEPTION FOR A HOT WILDER CLASSIC
MGM continues to insult the intelligence of the DVD consumer with this 'special edition' of one of Billy Wilder's all time great romantic comedies. Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis are witnesses to the Valentine's Day Massacre. To stay alive the boys shave their legs, dress in drag and join an all-girl's band fronted by sulty singing sensation, Sugar Cane (Marilyn Monroe). Featuring Monroe's inimitable renditions of "Running Wild" and "I Wanna Be Loved By You" this is a keeper in every respect.
Unfortunately MGM Home Entertainment has done a terrible job of remastering the print. Though the black and white picture exhibits exceptional contrast and clarity, the obtrusive inclusion of edge enhancement, artifacting, aliasing, fine detail shimmering and digital grit make for a really unattractive visual presentation. The sound has been remixed to 5.1, but the dated fidelity shines through. Still, the audio is presented at an acceptable listening level and without much distortion or echo.
Extras included a trip down memory lane with Tony Curtis that is overly long and really dragged down by Curtis' flamboyant hamming it up for the cameras. Oh well, I can't imagine too many people are asking him to shave his legs these days. Bottom line: If you absolutely must have the film I guess you could waste your money on this version. My hope is that someone at MGM will want to revisit this classic at a later date and with a more reputable transfer. Here's to hoping. Besides - nobody's perfect!

Still A Gem
"Some Like It Hot" is one of those great classics that has as much comedy in it as well as it does romance. It is the story of two musicians, Joe and Terry (Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), who intenvertidly stumble upon a mob squad hit (The St. Valentine's Day Massacre) and must flee from Chicago to Florida in hopes of getting away from the mobsters. Realizing that two female musicians are needed, Joe and Terry decide to dress in drag, board a bus filled with female musicians, and head to Florida. Of course, one of the leading ladies on board the bus, is the sexy Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), who has guy problems and represents the rebel.

The film has such balance between the comic exploits of Curtis and Lemmon looking out for their backs and trying to pull off this whole female identity without getting caught, and the romantic parts, which involve Curtis' character trying to woo Sugar Kane. While Curtis is trying to make the moves on Sugar Kane, Lemmon's character is trying to escape the advances of a multi-millionare who continally attempts to make the moves on him/her.

There is plenty of double-meaning humor, slapstick humor and fun romance in this movie. It has a little of everything, and it is understandable why most still refer to this movie as a gem.

Transvestites, yipes!
This one shows up on Turner Classics every once in a while, but I hadn't focused till the other night. There's something creepy about dressing like a woman. Some burly men may have no qualms, but I find transvestites, ahh, uncomfortable. I know. It's me and there's nothing wrong with that. In Some Like It Hot, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon are cross-dressing to escape some killers. They're not very attractive as women, which allowed me to enjoy the sex identity farce. Farce in America means screwball comedy. If Monroe crawled into my Pullman berth to sleep, hmm -- Lemmon pops one no doubt, and I'm not sure it was in the script if you know what I mean. Then he's swarmed by bunches of scantily clad ladies and the fun escalates. Monroe wears two dresses that give an interesting illusion. What a bod.

No pastry, no butter and no sugar

Director: Billy Wilder
Format: Black & White
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: May 1, 2001

Cast:

Marilyn Monroe ... Sugar Kane Kowalczyk
Tony Curtis ... Joe (Josephine)/Junior
Jack Lemmon ... Jerry (Daphne)
George Raft ... Spats Colombo
Pat O'Brien ... Mulligan
Joe E. Brown ... Osgood Fielding III
Nehemiah Persoff ... Little Bonaparte
Joan Shawlee ... Sweet Sue
Billy Gray ... Sig Poliakoff
George E. Stone ... Toothpick Charlie
Dave Barry ... Beinstock
Mike Mazurki ... Spats' Henchman
Harry Wilson ... Spats' Henchman
Beverly Wills ... Dolores
Barbara Drew ... Nellie
Edward G. Robinson Jr. ... Johnny Paradise
Paul Frees ... Funeral Director/Josephine
Joe Gray ... Mobster at banquet
Harold 'Tommy' Hart ... Second Official
Ted Hook
John Indrisano ... Waiter
Tom Kennedy ... Bouncer
Fred Sherman ... Drunk
Tito Vuolo ... Mozzarella
Al Breneman ... Bellhop
Pat Comiskey ... Spats' henchman
Penny McGuiggan ... Band Member
Laurie Mitchell ... Mary Lou, Trumpet Player
Helen Perry ... Rosella
Sandra Warner ... Emily, Band Member
Grace Lee Whitney ... Band Member
Marian Collier ... Olga, Clarinet Player
Joan Fields ... Band Member
Mary Foley ... Band Member

The cops bust a "funeral" with a casket full of booze--and nothing else. Joe/Josephine (Tony Curtis) and Jerry/Daphne (Jack Lemmon), desperate for work as a bass fiddle player and saxophonist, take a spot as members of an all-girl band, in drag, for a Florida tour, and to get away from gangsters who know that they witnessed a gang war murder by Spats Colombo's (George Raft) gang. There they meet Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (Marilyn Monroe) who has a drinking problem.

The pair are attracting the notice not only of the mob, but also of suitors, including millionaire Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown) and others, and Joe/Josephine falls for Sugar. This is a wacky movie which provides a lot of laughs, and brings out hidden a talent for comedy from Curtis. Billy Wilder did a great job.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

Hot Comedy, Hot Action, Hot Actress, Hot Jazz, Hot Movie
too Hot to be true, Marilyn Monroe,Tony Curtis,Jack Lemmon star in one of the greatest and funniest comedy classics of all time. The 1959 farse about the two musicians Joe and Jerry, who disquise themselves as women under the names Josephine and Daphne to land jobs as the sax and bow fidle in an all girls jazz band.Where they meet gorgeous songbird Sugar Kane. Also where Daphne meets womanizer Osgood Fielding III.When Daphne is stuck with that "dirty old man" Joe(Curtis) borrows a cup of that sugar(Monroe)as the millionare of Sugar's dreams "Shell Oil Junior". If Your looking for a classic comedy this is a good one. It's AFI's number 1 laugh, or if you want more marilyn, you love her in this one and if your looking for more Curtis and Lemmon they're hysterical in this one. See this classic comedy and you'll get "the sweet end of the lolly pop". As Osgood said at the end "nobody's perfect" well thats true ,but Some like it Hot may be a perfect comedy and as Sugar sang "I'm through with love, well she's not through for long ,but We are not through with this movie, because we love this film so much and we all want to "borrow a cup of that sugar" every time we watch it, "ZOWIE" "Yeah real hot" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nostalgic send-up of Bogart detective films of the '40s boasts a spot-on impression of the famous star by Robert Sacchi, who made a career doing mostly the same. (That's him in the Robert Zemeckis-helmed "You, Murderer" episode from Tales from the Crypt). The premise is that Sacchi plays a retired cop who gets plastic surgery to make himself look like Bogart, and then sets up shop as a private dick named Sam Marlow. But theplot is really just an excuse to pay tribute to Bogart's detective films. Sacchi's channeling of Bogie is so uncanny you'll be positively mesmerized for about 30 minutes. And that's the problem. While this amiable pastiche might help while away the evening in nostalgic reverie, it does a major disservice to the films it appears to idolize. That's the problem with nostalgia: it usually jettisons all the depth and complexity of the original, leaving an indistinct fifth-generation clone, a fuzzy Xerox of a Xerox of a Xerox. So when the novelty of the flick begins to wane, there's only the plot to fall back on for interest. And the plot is only there to havesomething upon which to hang references to Bogart flicks. The story largelymirrors The Maltese Falcon, with the great whatsit, the things dreams aremade of, being a pair of sapphires known as the "eyes of Alexander." The cast is composed of simulacra of past film greats: Gene Tierney (Michelle Phillips), Sidney Greenstreet (Victor Buono), and Peter Lorre (Herbert Lom)--notso successful, that last one. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (8)

OK Evening's Entertainment
Fun to see Mike Mazurky, Henry Wilcoxon, and George Raft in bit parts. Fun to see Robert Saachi do a spot-on impersonation of Bogart. The best unplanned fun is viewing the cheesy 70s TV-movie values that add to the nostalgia of the film.

This is bogart BUT the plot is silly and at times perverted
5 stars to the actor playing bogie,he has the voice,look, manors and style PERFECT. however the golden age of movies did not have curse words & naked women and i really doubt the real bogie would have lowered himself to this stupid script. If you are the ultimate bogart fan,like me, you can apprechiate just how good this actor plays him and at times there are a few funny sceenes like a car crash resulting from seeing bogie back from the dead.nice hearing the this actor relate everything to the "old days" as he visits certain streets and area's in this film where previous old movies were shot naming the stars who were in them, you can kind of picture it in B&W in your head if you saw the films. it is also kind of neat seeing a cameo by george raft an actor who played with bogie way back when in some of the classics but this is NOT a child safe movie. You can take most of the golden age movies and watch them with a family but not this trashy comedy too many uneeded sex implied scenario's that just dont fit with the real humphrey bogart films.

Enjoyable and lightweight...
Andy Fenaday's scipt follows self-employed detective (Scacchi, who's incredible) as he gets wrapped up in a MALTESE FALCON-type mystery. Heavy doses of amusing dialog, crammed with old movie references, this movie is better than FLETCH. A lot of fun and worth repeated viewings. A must for movie buffs. Good family viewing, with older kids. Rated PG for profanity, violence, and mild sexual innuendo.

A sweet bit of noir
Robert Sacchi attained minor celebrity in the 70's and 80's for his uncanny resemblance to Bogie and parlayed it into a career in TV commercials and cameo movie roles, most notably in Woody Allen's PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM. This vehicle is built around his unique "gift." It's an unremarkable but highly likable send-up of the great private eye flicks from the 30's and 40's - its most obvious inspiration being THE MALTESE FALCON, but there are allusions to THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI and other classics as well.It is chock full of hard-boiled banter and shadowy frames and shadowy characters and probably would have been better shot in black and white to capture the true ambience and ambiguities of the originals it seeks to imitate.

Same Marlowe is hired to find "the eyes of Alexander", sapphire replicas of Alexander the Great's eyes used in a bust of the conqueror, and during the search he runs into a snag of competing interests, all played by well-known character actors, Victor Buono and Herbert Lom among them. The plot, however, is superfluous, as it almost always is in detective films. The real point of the movie is to pay tribute to old time movie magic, and part of its fun is in the cameos. Apart from bit parts by the likes of George Raft, watch out for appearances by famed Hollywood reporters James Bacon and Robert Osborne as well (the latter now the host of cable's Turner Classic Movies).

Wonderful Spoof
Sacchi is the best Bogart impersonator ever... dry and droll as Sam Marlowe! The music from award winning composer George Duning [From Here To Eternity, Picnic, The World of Suzie Wong], the cinematography of perfect locations [including the famous Ambassador Hotel] are all right on target as famous tv director Robert Day [Kojak, Streets of San Francisco, The Avengers] guides the most endearing group of well-known character actors through a spoof of every dark detective film every made. See this if you loved all the old serious flicks... this one will make you howl. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Cagney Is In His Element
James Cagney and George Raft are in the prime of their respective careers in this film about life in prison. Cagney is a convict who is innocent. Raft is his ally who leads an attempted escape. Cagney is very much in his element in this environment and plays his part with particular gusto.

Framed By Crooked Politicians
EACH DAWN I DIE is a movie about a reporter who is framed for manslaughter by crooked politicians and sent to prison where he befriends a hardened criminal. Most of the story takes place in prison as the reporter slowly turns into an embittered inmate. James Cagney stars as the reporter and George Raft plays the part of his prison buddy. The strong supporting cast includes Jane Bryan, George Bancroft, Victor Jury and Maxie Rosenbloom.

Director William Keighley also directed THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER and THE FIGHTING 69th.

A 1939 BLOCKBUSTER.
The title refers to what many prison inmates feel when they awaken in the morning: it's a timeless - albeit poetic - metaphor. As a pugnacious reporter, Cagney unearths evidence that will put some hight-level politicians in jail. Before he can get his material into print, he is abducted, knocked unconscious and put into a car, booze poured over him & the vehicle sent careening down the street where it runs over a man and kills him. The brutal frame-up works: Cagney is convicted of manslaughter and is sent to prison, where he befriends smooth crook George Raft (as "Hood" Stacey), a crime boss. On the train to the Big House, Raft smiles and jokingly asks Cagney to write a piece about him - cause he likes his name in the paper...Once inside Rocky Point, Cagney pleads again and again for parole, which is repeatedly denied him...Cagney and Raft had known each other in vaudeville back in the late twenties. Raft, a real-life tough guy had various connections with hoodlums and bootleggers: Owney Madden & Joe Adonis to name a couple. Raft even picked up their own particular mannerisms and he had a very short fuse in real life. But Raft got along well with Cagney: advantageously making this film a blockbuster hit in its day: owing to a tight script and the electric acting of the leads, this one is far above average in the category of crime films.

"Throw me back in the hole, I can take it"
William Keighley's Each Dawn I Die set the tone for the prison genre. Oz it is not, but for 1939, Each Dawn I Die presents viewer insights to the jargon, code of ethics, and behavior of hardened convicts. John Wray as Pete the prison guard barks through his lines like a rattled pit bull. George Raft, who seemed to be forever dressed in prison garb, plays Stacey a "lifer" who is sprung to aid newsreporter Ross (James Cagney) who has been framed for manslaughter. Cagney shows glimpses of his emotional explosiveness as Ross breaks down befoe a parole board. Raft is in prime form cooly delivering lines that would make Edward G. Robinson proud. The prison break scenes are shot and edited realistically and provide reference points for future prison films such as Brute Force and Caged. Still other scenes are highly improbable and mirorred in Hollywood fare. ( Stacey giving himself up in front of the penitentiary, and the warden's mushy sentimentality to name just two). These shortcomings restricted Each Dawn I Die from attaining a higher echelon among crime films. Still the sixty-one year old film retains its credibility among the genre and is worth owning.

Deep film, filled with emotion, action, love, and pain.
This film is about a man who was framed and then put in jail. It shows his struggle to bring the real criminals to justice. Definately a classic! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

LAMOUR, FONDA AND BARRYMORE
In the thirties, all-star action melodramas didn't come much better than SPAWN OF THE NORTH, an eventful yarn of the war between Russian and American salmon-fishing fleets along the Alaskan coast. It was a winner for Paramount, which made several such big-scale mass entertainments in a period when other companies were scooping up all the Oscars and critics' awards. Even some of the reviewers enthused about the rugged vigour of Henry Hathaway's direction of this Barrett Willoughby story, scripted by Jules Furthman and Talbot Jennings. Performances pleased, too: Henry Fonda as the stalwart skipper, Dorothy Lamour as the gal who stands by him, defying the world, the flesh and the devil; George Raft as Fonda's pal (who goes over to the bad guys but thinks better of it). The great John Barrymore is great fun as a grizzled, guzzling newspaperman and Akim Tamiroff is good as the Russian heavy. Charles Lang's photography (the exteriors shot mostly in Alaska) was magnificent.

Excellent historical drama of trap fishing in Alaska
I enjoyed the authentic depiction of the challenges and dangers of fishing in Alaska in the thirties and earlier using fish traps. Some of the footage was on site and spectacular! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Night After Night was conceived as a serious dramatic vehicle for George Raft, a major star in gangster pictures (who had been a real New York gangster before coming to Hollywood). But the movie--for the most part an overheated melodrama--would probably have been forgotten long ago were it not for Mae West. Raft and West had been lovers when she was starring on Broadway. He brought her to Hollywood to give her a break in pictures with a small part in this one. But, as Raft said, West "stole everything but the cameras."

Raft is convincingly melancholic as Joe Anton, owner of "the swellest speakeasy in New York". He's sick of the racket, sick of the smell of booze, and sick of his girl, Iris (Wynne Gibson), a whiny, pathetic floozy. Lately his head has been turned by a classier species of dame, one Miss Healy (Constance Cummings), a society debutante who's been pining prettily in his speakeasy every night. Raft hires a high-falutin' tutor, Mrs. Jellyman (battle-axe Alison Skipworth), to improve his deportment and impress Miss Healy. He invites Mrs. Jellyman to dine with him and Miss Healy, when who should show up to wreck his plans but his old flame, Maudie Triplett (West). The movie shifts into high gear when she appears. It's fascinating to see West in a very different role than those she plays in her other films. No goddess with men falling at her feet is she, but an uninhibited good-time girl with a healthy taste for champagne. We have the sense that we're glimpsing Mae West before her all-important image had been finely honed. --Laura Mirsky ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Night After Night VHS
I was very disappointed in this video. If your fond of George Raft it is great. If it's Mae West your interested in there is not much of her in this video. The copy I received had some flutters in it as well.

A very good pre-code movie
I'd always read that this film's only asset was being the movie in which Mae West made her screen debut, and having seen it, I can say that that's untrue and absolutely unfair. West is in top & rare (different from her subsequent stereotyped love goddess persona) form as Maudie, Raft's old flame and friend, and her scenes are very funny, but that's only part of it. George Raft plays the lead as the owner of a Speakeasy who longs for things that money alone can't buy: prestige, class, a worthy lady-wife and going up the social ladder. He hires wonderful Alison Skipworth as a teacher, in order to learn the manners + way of the upper classes (her hangover scene with miss West is a gem). Raft also falls for very pretty Constance Cummings, who's good in her part of the impoverished socialite. Noteworthy performances too by Wynne Gibson (who physically resembles the young Miriam Hopkins, who was also a Paramount star in that period of time), as the vulgar and cheap floozy in love with Raft (who wants to get rid of her at any price!) and by Roscoe Karns as his loyal sidekick. Also in it, great character actor Louis Calhern as Cummings' rich suitor. In all a very pleasent, entertaining and very well acted movie, unjustly neglected and overlooked for decades, and merely dismissed as "Mae West's first picture". It's much more than just that kids.

Very Interesting...
Ms West... Was a class act and she was way way before her time... This movie(the second of hers I own)has some very interesting scenes in it... alot of "things" going on in the 1930's

MAE DAY
This is the film in which 39 year - old Broadway star Mae West made her debut in motion pictures; like co-star George Raft once said "She stole everything but the cameras". Alison Skipworth is hilarious as Mabel Jellyman and when she is taking nips with Mae, she asks "Maudie, what do you think I should do with my inhibitions?" to which Mae replies "Well, honey, I've got an old trunk over here"! When Mae asks Mabel to get into her "racket" which is one of "the best payin' around" (Maudie has her own chain of beauty parlours called "Institute de Beaut") Mabel mistakenly thinks Maudie's talking prostitution and answers "Well, dontcha think I'm just a little old"? Not a great movie by any means, it comes alive only when Mae appears on screen. "Night after Night" is the name of the speakeasy in which the movie takes place. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A diverging story brought together under crime...
The Fabrini brothers, Joe (George Raft) and Paul (Humphrey Bogart), are truck drivers that struggle to make it on their own as a loan shark is on their heels trying to repossess their truck . It all seems futile as Joe and Paul's competition is full of bigger companies that do not care about the smaller companies as it is a dog eat dog world. This forces the Fabrini brothers to work long hours often without adequate sleep. One night after a rough day Joe and Paul pick up a hitchhiker, Cassie Hartley (Ann Sheridan), and together the three of them witness a truck accident where some friends die as they fell asleep behind the wheel. This is a wake up call for the brothers as they have different priorities in their lives, and it brings them in different directions. They Drive By Night is an interesting film with multiple themes, which offers a good cinematic experience

"The doors made me do it! The doors made me do it!"
This awesome classic starts out as a drama about the hard lives of truckers but ends up being a sort of film noir! Ann Sheridan was perfectly cast as a sassy independant woman, & I loved seeing George Raft & Humphrey Bogart playing brothers! And of course let's not forget Ida Lupino, one of the best (& craziest) femme fatales of all time! Also there's Alan Hale, who adds a whole lot of humor to the mix! I won't go into the plot b/c other reviews have fully explained the plot, but I will say that you definitely need to add this gem to your dvd collection! Be aware that the real star of the film is George Raft, despite the misleading cover art, which tries to cash in on Bogey's fame. This wasn't disappointing to me at all, though. I thought George Raft was cool! I highly recommend this to fans of great classics.

A Hidden Gem!
They Drive by Night was so much fun to discover! Anyone who likes old movies will enjoy seeing this one. With Bogie as George Raft's little brother, working together as truckers, and the wonderfully wicked Ida Lupino married to the blissfully ignorant Alan Hale, this movie was a joy to watch from start to finish.

Dynamic Lupino!
When I first watched this movie, I was only mildly interested in the first part which shows how hard life is for two trucker brothers (Raft and Bogart). Only when Ida Lupino is introduced as the off-kilter, man-killing Lana Carlson did I really sit up and take notice. She continued to steal all her scenes as she degenerates into madness after killing her buffoon of a husband for the cold Raft character. Her gradual breakdown is something to see and electrified audiences in l940. When she begins to shriek on the witness stand: "The doors made me do it!", you freeze in amazement at her powerful acting. Her "mad" scene was phenomenal. A note: compare her portrayal of the man-crazed heroine to the way Bette Davis portrayed her in the original, the l934 "Bordertown". Davis always bragged that the quiet way she went crazy on the stand was the right way but after seeing how Lupino did it, you'll think that Davis was wrong. Sorry, Bette, but Lupino did it a l00 times better and a hell of a lot more powerful. Lana Carlson--one mixed-up, crazy dame from Warner Brother's golden days--thanks to the genius of Ida Lupino!

Watch Lupino Go
They Drive By Night has a lot going for it. It's directed by Raoul Walsh, who knew how to make a tough guy movie, yet give it some heart. It has two of the screen's great tough guys, George Raft and Humphrey Bogart. It also has two of the screen's best tough guy girlfriends, Ann Sheridan and Ida Lupino. And it has some really great dialogue that time has not dated. It's the story of two truckers who are brothers, and it looks at the difficulties facing truckers (sleeplessness that can lead to accidents, suppliers that don't pay up, etc). Bogart and Raft are good as the brothers, although Raft doesn't have much of a range as an actor. Raft hooks up with Sheridan, a woman who can hold her own with any trucker. Sheridan plays her with just the right mix of outward toughness, but decency and tenderness, too. Unfortunately, Lupino wants Raft, and she won't be denied what she wants. Lupino gives the performance that you'll remember from this film. She becomes more intense with every scene, and by her last scene, she reaches a level that is amazing to behold. With Lupino's performance and the great dialogue, They Drive By Night is a Warner Brothers' film that should be seen. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Sea-Faring Adventure
SOULS AT SEA, an intelligent and entertaining movie, is a rare treat for fans of sea-faring adventures, classic drama and/or Gary Cooper. The plot, told in flashback, concerns a sailor (who may or may not be a slave trader) on trial for mass murder. This is one of those stories that leave you thinking, long after the movie ends, whether or not this man was justified in what he did and what you would have done in the same situation.

Excellent acting by Gary Cooper and George Raft (in the uncharacteristical role of Powdah- a salty sailor who is Cooper's best friend).

I heartily recommend it.

Fine human drama with scale and epic.
Cooper and Raft are well cast as buddies on the seas of the 1850s, fighting the slave trade. There's a sinking ship climax reminiscent of TITANIC on a small scale and a court drama where Cooper is accused of wanton murder in rescuing some but not all from the wreck. Impeccably restored black and white print and well directed with good solid performances. Oscar nommed for Art Direction, Score and Assistant Director. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A must-see for fans of Fritz Lang!
A truly offbeat proto-noir crime comedy directed by German film pioneer Fritz Lang at the start of his Hollywood tenure. George Raft and Silvia Sidney co-star as star-crossed lovers who meet while working in a large New York department store whose president believes in hiring ex-cons as a way to help them socially rehabilitate themselves. Raft is an ex-felon whose probation has just ended, and he feels that now, at last, he can find love and marriage. What he doesn't know, though, is that his bride, Sidney, is *also* an ex-criminal, and when she discovers his distain for "female jailbirds," she goes to great lengths to hide the truth from him. As a result, Raft hardens again, and finds himself drawn again towards the criminal lifestyle. The film mixes elements of dark drama and screwball comedy, even mixing in an avant garde sensibility in a few odd musical sketches. There interludes are provided by composer Kurt Weill, also in Hollywood exile, and stand out, not unpleasantly, in a most bizarre fashion from the rest of the film. Also noteworthy is the kooky, deliberately anticlimactic ending, in which Silvia Sidney teaches the crooks, literally *teaches* them, the lesson that that "crime does not pay." In dramatic terms, the film is uneven, but as an experimental work, it's quite fascinating. Definitely worth checking out.

UNUSUAL CASTING MAKES FOR A FAIR FILM.
Joe Dennis and Helen, two ex-cons on parole, work in the department store of Mr. Morris, who kindly hires former inmates to help them assimilate to civilian life...Only one of them isn't quite reformed...A downright peculiar little comedy-drama which is fun to watch for that very reason. The musical numbers for this film are unorthodox compared to many others in American films of the period: listen to SONG OF THE CASH REGISTER which is heard spoken/sung in a deep baritone male voice as the film opens. It's a hoot! Also catch THE KNOCKING SONG. Lloyd Nolan was originally to have played Barton MacLane's role, but other obligations intervened. Carole Lombard was the original choice for Sidney's role - the original working title of the film was simply WONDERFUL - no pun intended. The film is an eclectic one - and was mostly considered weird by the critics who thought Lang had either lost his touch or his mind. But the photography is interesting and elements of the film - however bazarre - seem fascinating in contrast for viewers of original, eclectic vintage films.

The Gang That Couldn't Think Straight
Made in 1938, Fritz Lang's You and Me was probably the first noir/crime film to combine comedy, lighthearted romance, and musical sketches into a morality play concerning the consequences of crime. Sylvia Sydney as the sprightly salesgirl Helen, carries the picture. In a familiar role that seemed to define her career, Sydney became an icon for working women of the thirties and forties who struggled for an identity within middle class America. As in You Only Live Once and Dead End, Helen is similiar to Sydney's former characters in that they brim with hope. Helen may represent the underclass, but her unrelenting spirit transcends social boundaries. With Sydney's help, Lang made a case for improving the treatment of ex-convicts who were often denied basic civil rights. Harry Cary is perfectly cast as the affable department store owner Mr. Morris. Morris has hired fifty ex-convicts and justifies his actions to his skeptical wife ( Cecil Cunningham). Morris's goodwill is tested when eight of the employees plan to heist over $30,000 worth of store merchandise. The gang rallies around Joe Dennis (George Raft) who abandons his rightous ways when he discovers that Helen lied to him about her past. Director Lang mixes comedy with a lesson about the misconcepptions of crime. Helen is the teacher and she captures the attention of the mugs with a quick lecture in artithmetic. The message is "crime doesn't pay" and in Lang's film You and Me, it means more ways than one. Warren Hymer as Gimmpy adds humor to the gang's criminal fraternization. Raft known for turning down some of the best film roles ever, gives an even performance as Joe, the ex-con.

Damon Runyon Meets "3 Penny Opera"
"You and Me" (1938) is a genuine sleeper and a cult favorite among fans of director Fritz Lang. An offbeat, quirky mix of Damon Runyon and Kurt Weill (who wrote the music), this romantic comedy features George Raft and Sylvia Sidney in good form as an unlikely couple with a criminal past. Lang's expressionist style is evident during the Weill-inspired segments -- a Hollywood interpretation of "The 3 Penny Opera." Though not for all tastes, "You and Me" is much better than its critical reputation would have you believe.

Kiss of Death meets The Music Man.
Raft and Sidney are terrific. Fritz Lang's Expressionist direction, the snappy dialogue, the humor and the music make this little known film an absolute pleasure to watch. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Who To Believe?
George Raft is a self described salesman travelling throughout Asia who gets tangled up in a Nazi plan to bring neutral Turkey into the war on their side. He encounters spy Osa Massen on a train. She's being followed, so she gives him an envelope containing forged plans to invade Turkey supposedly by the Russians so that Turkey will want to side with the Axis. When she turns up dead later in Ankara, he finds himself the centre of attention, with various spies and plotters like Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Brenda Marshall after the envelope. Raoul Walsh directs with his customary gusto, bringing lots of action to the twisting and turning spy story, culminating with a terrific chase scene. The film is well plotted, with surprises thrown in to keep the viewer guessing. Any film with Greenstreet and Lorre in it is usually worth watching, and they are as engaging as ever. The action helps to mask Raft's typically colourless performance (Bogart would have been great in this one). I love a good spy story, and this film did not disappoint me.

Fun Flick...not an art house masterpiece,but wont disappoint
...this movie deserves more than one review here...

What a great companion for ACROSS THE PACIFIC. The package offered above is a great deal for those who haven't seen either flick before. Forget George Rafft: We're here for Lorre and Greenstreet.

But this movie moves. It burns.

You want some action? Here it is. This movie makes little effort to bore you. It's got car chases, tight situations, fist-fights, close calls, spy work/espionage. The clever talk is fast enough.
Don't hurt yourself. If you've been bored by B&W celluloid circa 1940s before, you may be surprised by the speedy pacing of this wartime propaganda flick-o-rama. Geo. Rafft is the fast-talking American spy forced rather inhumanly through so many trials, you're left dizzy. He gets mixed up with some Russian? or German? or double agents. Which are they? You are left wondering, and it is all part of the fast moving fun. It's not just good adventure. It's witty. It's funny. Don't watch this movie if you're having a bad day with your pacemaker. And you'll need to see this film more than once to follow it.

..but you won't mind.

Go ahead. Order it. Until you are ready for LANDSCAPE IN THE MIST and SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE, I bet you'll watch BACKGROUND TO DANGER two dozen times, at the least.

I made sure I did. And THE MASK OF DIMITRIOS, also. And any other Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet vehicles you can think of.

..my God, if they made a six hour film of Lorre and Greenstreet sitting around smoking and grunting it would probably be an absolute masterpiece.

Don't miss these two guys in anything.

Come for the cast; stay for the story.
Set in neutral Turkey circa WW2, this nearly-forgotten film is a fast-paced tale of espionage. Its great cast includes coin-flipping tough guy George Raft, the elegantly duplicitous duo of Lorre and Greenstreet, Brenda Marshall as a comely commie and Turhan Bey (The Mummy's Tomb) as a confidant of Raft.

Ankara is portrayed as the dangerous, exotic city it must have been in those tenuous years, with bombings and stealthy dealings in darkened alleys. All the world's powers had converged upon that strategic point, engaging in covert knifings and more overt misinformation. The Germans in this movie plan to leak out a map alleging that the Russians plan to invade, hopefully tilting Turkey to the Axis. Therefore the Nazis, Russians and Allies seek this map at all costs. Raft may be just a travelling salesman, or is he something more? Who can be trusted? Can Truth, Justice and the American Way prevail? Rock on, brother.

Raoul Walsh has never gotten the credit he deserved as director. He helmed some of the best suspensers in the first half of the 20th century: Thief of Baghdad (1924), High Sierra, Pursued and White Heat, to name a few. Here again he is up to the task of providing a crisp, actionful movie, with a brisk car chase spicing up the latter sections. (Not up to the latter-day stunt standards of Lethal Weapon 4, definitely, but well-done.)

The only thing realy lacking is an abundance of the razor-sharp dialogue some other 40's programmers possess, but if you like studio genre films from Hollywood's golden age (shot, as the box says, in glorious black and white) you will very likely enjoy this one, too. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

FOLLOW THE BOYS (1944)
(Comedy, Black & White, 2 hr 2 min)

Universal - U.S.A.

DIRECTOR: A. Edward Sutherland

CAST: George Raft, Vera Zorina, Charles Grapewin, Maria Montez (As: Herself)

COMMENTS: This movie was the first one of Universal Pictures in the follies genre.

Forget about the penny-dreadful's worth of plot and just sit back and enjoy the star cameos. A long wartime rouser, FOLLOW THE BOYS begins with the closing of New York's Palace Theater and the demise of vaudeville.

Tony (Raft), Kitty (McDonald), and Nick West (Grapewin), a brother-sister-father trio, have just finished doing their turkey of an act at the Palace in New York, and Tony suggests that they try their luck in Hollywood. Once there, Tony soon hits it big, teaming with Gloria Vance (Zorina) in several hit movies.

They fall in love and marry, but WWII drives them apart as Tony, refused induction because of a bad knee, takes on the task of organizing entertainment for the fighting men going overseas.

It's perhaps unfair to criticize FOLLOW THE BOYS for its hackneyed story line, considering that the real purpose of the film is to show off the assortment of legendary performers herein assembled.

The odd collection consists largely of established talent on its way down or notable personalities on their way up, but one cherishes the film for what it records for posterity.

Jeanette Macdonald reprises one of her earliest song hits, "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and Sophie Tucker is on hand to belt out her signature "Some of These Days." W.C. Fields, meanwhile, though clearly not in the best of health, commits another performance of his famous pool routine to celluloid, and the Andrews Sisters do a fun medley of several of their hits. Perhaps most priceless of all, however, is Orson Welles, who, assisted by Marlene Dietrich, does a marvelous six-minute magic act.

In this occasion all the stars hired by the Studio made a parade before the cameras in order to assist to a meeting of the Victory Committee in Hollywood and Maria Montez was one of the luminaries, so her fans had the chance of watching her real aspect. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

atmospheric noir worth searching for
This moody 1946 film noir stars George Raft as a detective assigned to solve the murder of a musical gigolo who finally met a woman who wouldn't sit still for his standard dismissal. His character becomes entranced with solving the case, so much so that he risks his job and life to go on even after the department suggests he end his involvement. Lynn Bari provides zip as a brassy dame suspected of being one of the victim's "Doloreses", the name his houseboy says he called each one of his mistresses regardless of her given name. Swinging night clubs, dark stormy nights, hard boiled police work and a cast of lesser named but very effective players make this movie a must see. Unfortunately the film is out of distribution currently but this viewer (whose children inadvertently erased our only copy!) continues to search for either a print for sale or a classic movie channel screening. Look for a scene of great tension and foreboding in a closed photographic studio as evidence that this little suspenser is a hidden gem. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Only Ava Gardner keeps this from being a cinematic valium!
Ploddingly paced, dreary and forgettable potboiler about a mysterious and shady lady who returns from the big city to her whistle-stop small town to find her former flame now an alcoholic and womanizing loafer. As she attempts to put him on the straight and narrow, the local hotel/saloon proprietor becomes infatuated with her, while her lover gets into some real big trouble of his own. The appallingly wooden George Raft stars as Kenny (the name should have been Woody), the downbeaten, disillusioned neer-do-well who is jealously suspicious and angry about his ex-girlfriend Mary's past. His performance gives new meaning to the word one-dimensional and makes ludicrous the unbelievable story line of how his bombshell ex-lover would even be interested in him in the first place, let alone get involved with him again--I guess he must have other attractions . . . if you know what I mean. Raft is a classic example of how ignorant the moviegoing public can be when someone like him can become a s tar given the right vehicle (in his case, the original "Scarface"). Good thing for a pre-stardom and drop-dead gorgeous Ava Gardner, as she is the only saving grace. Although she displays some noticeable stiffness and awkwardness in the part of the ambiguous Mary, even in this lackluster, asinine vehicle Gardner displays the overwhelming smoldering sensuality that would later catapult her to fame and movie-goddess stature.

good Gardner film
Ava Gardner, George Raft and Florence Bates star in the average crime thriller WHISTLE STOP, notable only for the early appearance of Gardner.

Gardner plays Mary, a young woman who returns to her old hometown, where she finds her old flame (Raft) and discovers him bumming off, spending all his money on drink and women. Mary attempts to put him on the straight and narrow, but just as the tide is beginning to turn, he is framed for murder.

Good script, good performances, but very slow-moving. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime is a Great movie
My name is Amanda and I'm in a 10th grade world history class. We are currently studying the Great Depression and WWII and we have just finished watching Brother, Can You Spare a Dime. This movie helped me to understand not only the culture and life of this era but also helped me to understand the things that led up to the Depression and Stock market crash as well as Pearl Harbor and WWII. I'd recommend this movie to anyone who wants an entertaining way to learn a bit about history.

Hindered by lack of commentary
Although this documentary brings together a lot of interesting footage, lack of a commentary means that a viewer without a close knowledge of the period in question will find themselves wondering, "Who were those people, and why was what they were doing of historical significance?" On the other hand, if you are very familiar with the politics and culture of the US in the 1930s, this may provide some useful illustrative imagery. I suspect that, these days, more people will fall into the first category.

Something Everyone Should Watch!
Shows the real down in the trenches struggle of America during the depression. In our times of prosperity and wealth, we sometimes forget it wasn't so long ago that money was almost impossible to come by, soup lines were many peoples only source of survival and life without all the gadgets and other pleasures we take for granted is very tough.
Saletag. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

OH MY GAWD
If you have any nostalgia at all for the late '70s in all their cheesy glory, buy this video. This film is amazingly, deliciously, jaw-droppingly bad. Mae West strutting her stuff in her 80s is a mere sidelight compared to the completely over-the-top supporting performances by Tony Curtis, Dom DeLuise and Keith Moon.

Tackiness oozes from every frame of this film, but like much of the mainstream sleaze of the late '70s, it's surprisingly good-natured. Sex is seen as just good clean dumb fun, without the dark, violent and repellent overtones that entered the mainstream with the Reagan era and never left us. This film has much more in common with "Three's Company"-style leering than the mean-spirited crudity of say, "In Living Color".

And I haven't even mentioned the musical numbers! Timothy Dalton and Mae sing "Love Will Keep Us Together" (yep, the cheesy Captain & Tennille hit) as a duet. I'm not sure if "sing" is the right word, but it will suffice. Dom DeLuise sings "Honey Pie" (the