Reviews (14)

Hollywood's first great sequel!
"After the Thin Man" is the second of five sequels in "The Thin Man" series. It was released in 1936, two years after the original movie, and literally takes up where the first one left off - aboard the Sunset Limited headed from New York to California.

Having had their Christmas holidays in New York interrupted by a murder mystery [much to Nick Charles' dismay and wife Nora's delight], the couple is looking forward to a quiet New Year's Eve at home. This is not to be. Their house, it seems, has a huge cocktail party going on in it. And - you guessed it - there's another mystery brewing. Nora's cousin's husband has gone missing, and scandal threatens her stuffy, socialite family. Nick could care less. He has no use for his holier-than-thou in-laws. Nora is concerned - and not a little thrilled at the prospect of another adventure.

William Powell and Myna Loy are, as always, Nick and Nora. They are one of the great screen couples of all time. Their relationship is often hysterically funny, sometimes touching, and more than a little complicated. A very young James Stewart has a meaty supporting role. The star quality is easy to see. Selma Landis is in top form as the neurotic cousin who is under the thumb of her frightfully domineering mother.

"After the Thin Man" [great sequel title!] is only slightly less entertaining than its predecessor and is certainly superior to most of the comedies of today. That superiority is due to great screen writing, true star power and a genuine zest for life that rarely is seen today - at least in the movies.

By the way, there IS no thin man!

A Worthy Sequel
Although it lacks the sharp edge of the original, AFTER THE THIN MAN is a worth sequel to THE THIN MAN, with the famous William Powell and Myrna Loy chemistry as intoxicating as one of Nick Charles' famous cocktails.

The sequel finds Nick and Nora Charles newly returned to their home in San Francisco in the wake of Nick's successful handling of "the thin man" case--only to find Norah's formidable aunt Katherine determined to keep the family name out the papers re cousin Selma's wayward husband, who has been missing for several days. Nick is accordingly summoned to track him down as discreetly as possible. But where Nick and Norah go, both murder and publicity is sure to follow.

AFTER THE THIN MAN boasts a cast equal to the original, most notably a young James Stewart as cousin Selma's former love, Jessie Ralph as Aunt Katherine, and a truly delightful Penny Singleton as Polly, the hard-knocks cabaret singer who leads wealthy husbands astray. The story is a bit convoluted, but the complications never get in the way of the film's witty dialogue, and while many may find the killer a bit obvious it doesn't prevent the film from being a great deal of fun. Recommended.

Best of the 6 THIN MAN movies!!!
The very first THIN MAN movie was so popular due to love bickering relationship between Nick and Nora. It was no doubt a treat to see a married couple pick at each other and all the while the love they shared for each other was evident to all. The murder mystery almost takes second place to the bickering between Nick and Nora. Not so in AFTER THE THIN MAN.

AFTER THE THIN MAN devotes the bulk of the story to the murder mystery. Nick, who is still supposedly retired from detective work, gets lured into another case. A relative of Nora's needs Nick to prove her innocent. The case seems iron clad and Lieutenant Abrams, portrayed by Sam Levene is sure who the killer is. Only Nick seems to be able to sift through all the circumstantial evidence and get to the real evidence. Nora dogs his every step as she attempts to convince her family Nick is a good man even if he wears a "blue" collar.

James Stewart, prior to becoming famous, does well as the rejected love interest of the accused murderer. He will do anything to help her...or will he? Penny Singleton, prior to her role as Blondie Bumstead in the BLONDIE movies and her providing her voice as Jan Jetson on the JETSONS, has an interesting role as 1930's sexy street sassy blonde. As she would tell you, she's not illiterate because her parents were married at city hall.

So, while the original THIN MAN was fresh and new AFTER THE THIN MAN has all the dents and dings banged out of the script. It is a much better and much more interesting film. It is my favorite of the six THIN MAN films.

The DVD edition of this film is long overdue.

MORE BRILLIANCE FROM NICK AND NORA
The second in the series of Thin Man films and the second best one, just a notch below the first. The story begins just days after the first movie. Nick and Nora have returned to their very luxurious home in California from New York.

They arrive home to find a house full of (uninvited) guests who are there to welcome the couple back home. They attend a Dinner party at Nora's very uptight socialite Aunt. Hilarious watching Nick interact with these old, wealthy step-relatives.

Soon, though, Nora's cousin Selma is accused of murdering her estranged husband and Nick and Nora have to step in to investigate.

This time the Charles celebrate New Years Eve with plenty of drinks at the night club of a small-time hood named Dancer. Nick is joined by a table full of his less than savory past friends who tell Nora "I don't like Dames who get mouthy afte a couple of snorts!"

Sam Levine is very funny making his first of two appearances as Lt. Abrahms. A young Jimmy Stewart is also along as the unrequited love of Selma.

As with the first, the drinks flow freely, particularly in the night club scenes where Nick finds himself the object of affection of a drunken young lady, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend.

Fantastic banter between the two stars as usual. Their chemistry was second to none. Asta is along too.

This was also, I think one of the better mysteries of all the Thin Man movies. Where is the DVD????

Still Meaningful After All These Years
Great periscope view of the thirties. Everybody wears a mustach (except the women). Humor still valid. And cocktail- drinking? sheesh! Humor still valid. Good acting. And where does one find a marriage like this? Wonderful. Take me back (altho I wasn't even a gleam yet). ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Dancing as an Equal
It was with mixed expectations that I bought and watched this movie. One reviewer said Betty was no Ginger and another said Betty was so good you watched her instead of Fred. As a long- time lover of musicals I must agree with the latter opinion. Fred's other partners (Ginger, Judy and Cyd come to mind) were women who made it their business to blend as smoothly as possible into Fred's style, highlighting his moves so that you were more liable to watch him than his women. They knew how to disappear (as women did in those days)into the male's technique. But Betty does it differently. She dances with Fred as an equal and because she is so darned good, you do indeed watch her instead of him.

It's almost as if he had the flu the entire movie. His cocky swagger and seductive smile are missing. His solo pieces are half-assed and his partnered dances make him seem thrown for a loss. He appears to not know how to dance with a woman who takes up the same space he does. Had Betty been Gene or Donald, there would have been no problem; Fred would have known how to relate. You can see the proof of this in the Cowboy number where Betty is a cowpoke. That being said, a sickly Fred is better than almost anyone else on a good day. I had to laugh when the greatgrandma calls Astaire "young man." Fred looked 40 at age 20 and 40 at age 60!

Betty is delightful in this movie. I didn't remember how beautiful she was. Ginger danced as if she practiced hard and has finally got it just right. Betty is a natural who expresses joy in every step and so looks spontaneous. The movie's worth watching, esp for the opening number. Betty acts better than Grable or Lana Turner, substituting their saccarine flavor with genuine sweetness. Her "over the top" behavior in other movies gives one pause. This came to define her and serious roles were then denied her. Pity. One wonders why she undermined herself as an actress in that way. Perhaps she never knew she was that good. What did "blond bombshells" do back then? What they were told, I'm sure. There was Mae West and Marilyn, two who attempted to carve their own path through Hollywood and both succeeded but at great cost. Betty shoulda been a contender, and this movie shows it.

I Can't Stop Talking About It!
This is one of the best, and funniest movies I have ever seen. It is absolutely hilarious and made me burst out laughing.

Fred is a genius. Though I think his performances in Top Hat, Follow the Fleet, and Swing Time were better, this is extremely good. Betty Hutton is just magnificent! She sparkles on the screen and adds a certian allure to the film. Though she certianly cannot compare with Ginger Rogers of some of Fred's earlier dance partners, she is wonderful for this film and I can't imagine anyone else in that role.

The songs aren't that great, but the performances of them make up for that deficiency. 'Oh Them Dudes' is magnificent and uproariously funny. 'I Can't Stop Talking About Him' is a laugh-out-loud hit with relatively good dancing on Betty's part. 'The Paino Dance' is fantastic and is definately one of my favorite Astaire solos of all time (and trust me, I've seen plenty!).

As for the plot; well, it's cute and funny. However, it gets a bit repetitive at times.

Don't miss out on this fabulous movie!

astaire, hutton shine
wonderful film,,,,very worth the while.........looked like these two stars had a blast making the film......and you'll have a blast watching it...nice to see astaire having to race to keep up with betty,,,,,,,,,the saloon scene is a classic

Could've Been Better
Let's Dance is one of the least popular Fred Astaire vehicles...with good reason. For generations, Astaire is synonymous with exciting, electric musical spectacles that pull the viewers out of their seats.

Let's Dance seems to be missing that little kick or spark that would have greatly helped this show get going. True, it wouldn't be fair to compare every other Astaire film to his RKO classics, such as Top Hat or Swing Time, but after setting a high standard such as that...well, needless to say, this one was a big letdown. Betty Hutton, fine performer that she is, just doesn't seem to mesh with Astaire at all. The routines lack charm and fall flat. One spot worth mentioning is a Western spoof put on by Astaire and Hutton. Call it a cowboy version of Easter Parade's "A Couple of Swells."

Let's Dance had some potential, but instead it leaves the viewer with a feeling that this show was hurriedly put together, and badly at that. Astaire and Hutton aren't all that bad, but you just know they could have been better.

A Mixed Bag
Fred Astaire and Betty Hutton team up for this "good, but not great" type of movie. On the positive side, Astaire and Hutton are energetic and delightful as a pair of former lovers trying to keep Hutton's son out of the hands of his great-grandmother.The supporting cast is fine, and the script is both witty and moving at the same time. However, this film has one fatel flaw that has kept it from becoming better known. The songs and dances just aren't that good. AND THIS IS A MUSICAL! Astaire is alright during "Jack and the Beanstock" and the "Piano Dance," but it's not comparable to his work in "Swing Time" or "Funny Face." The rest of the songs and dances are just awful, strange, since this material was done by the usualy reliable Frank Loesser. All in all, this movie can entertain an audience, but never make them stand up and say: "Wow, that was fantastic." And that is the difference between a good movie and a great one. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Nelson Eddy and Jeanette McDonald

This film was made in 1940 when Nelson Eddy and Jeanette McDonald were at their peak. Both singers could emote. They didn't need to swallow the microphone as they do today, with their thin, breathy style of singing, depending upon technology to be heard.

The story revolves around a French Duke who, during the revolution, gives up his title, frees his bonded servants, and heads for New Orleans by ship, posing as a servant(footman). On the voyage he meets Jeanette McDonald, where a love/hate relationship develops. He is sold as a slave,takes over the ship, is shipwrecked on an uncharted tropical island, and their relationship takes the inevitable course.

This is a musical, and so McDonald and Eddy regale us with several songs. it is no wonder that they were such popular singers. They actually harmonized, in those days. Refreshing, indeed.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of The Descendants of Thomas Pier
and other books

A PRIME MACDONALD & EDDY MUSICAL.
A beautifully filmed version of the famous 1928 Hammerstein-Romberg operetta. In 1789, the Duke de Vidier, a young French aristocrat, renounces his claim of nobility to further the cause of the revolution by freeing the bond servants in New Orleans. While posing as a deported servant named Charles Michon, the Duke sails on a New Orleans bound ship where he meets the spoiled Marianne de Beaumanoir.......Naturally the above roles are filled by none other than Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, respectively. The working title of this film was LOVER COME BACK, and it was sometimes broadcast on television as PARISIAN BELLE. An earlier 1931 version starred Grace Moore and Lawrence Tibbett. Buster Keaton and Nat Pendelton can be seen very briefly as bondsmen. The wonderful score includes such perennials as LOVER COME BACK TO ME, STOUTHEARTED MEN, SOFTLY AS IN A MORNING SUNRISE & ONE KISS. The steamboat scenes were shot at Santa Catalina Island by Clyde de Vinna.

A beautifully done film.
They don't make them like this anymore. This is one of Jeanette and Nelson's best films. Their are some really lovely and memorable songs, and a good storyline. I highly recommend this film.

New Moon
This movie is truely beautiful. The costumes, The photography, the lighting, and the music. This is my favorite of the MacDonald, and Eddy movies.

INCREDIBLE MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES
A classic musical romantic comedy. Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy were at their superb best. Their onscreen chemistry while always good peaked in this movie. The supporting cast is also excellent. While the story is romantized the yearning of people for liberty is presented well. The costumes and sets were all beautiful. The only serious flaw is that the movie was presented in black and white. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Great fun!
Maybe not as good as some of Flynn's better efforts; but it is certainly alot of fun to watch: the beautiful cinematography in gorgeous techincolor, the old fashioned Hollywood story of swashbuckling pirates in the Carribbean, the very handsome leads, and the wonderful supporting characters especially George Sanders. Sanders, who made a career of playing effete English snobs, is almost unrecognizable as the bushy haired, red-bearded pirate heavy, Billy Leech. Overall, vintage entertainment from the golden era of the Hollywood studio system.

Tyrone Power was the Brad Pitt of his era; an actor who wanted to prove that there was more substance to him than just his matinee idol good looks. Unfortunatly, the studio system, which had made Power a star, allowed him little room to grow as an actor. He found himself typecast as the hero of one costume piece movie after the other. "The Black Swan", though, is one of his best. It is a Tyrone Power vehicle made more to showcase his immense good looks rather than his acting range. Power was not happy about this, since he had hoped this movie would allow him to play a more rugged and complex character than his previous "pretty-boy" roles had allowed. Power had even grown a full beard to play this part, but the studio chiefs had conniptions at the thought their star's face being covered from his hordes of female fans. Off went the beard. Once again Tyrone Power had to resign himself to playing the "pretty boy," but he makes the most it. He is a terrific swashbuckler, and seems to have alot of fun doing it and his performance is one of the best parts of the film. (Although some of his scenes with the lovely Maureen O'Hara would be taboo today. Poor Maureen. She was always being physically accosted by her male leads- see the "The Quiet Man.")

A ROUSING SWASHBUCKLER!
This sweeping, beautifully made pirate epic has Power play a swashbuckling aide to the notorious buccaneer Henry Morgan, who is pardoned from the gallows and is sent to Jamaica as the new governor. Tyrone falls in love with the gorgeous Maureen O'Hara, the daughter of the previous governor - who spurns the advances of this rough-hewn adventurer...The dialogue and story is very reminiscent of the earlier Flynn vehicle CAPTAIN BLOOD, and although the film is a trifle stilted in capturing the idiom of the period, the action is overwhelming once it begins. Power is terrific as James Waring, full of dash and derring-do. As Captain Morgan, Laird Cregar is fine with his enormous body bedecked with wigs and finery. George Sanders is made even more menacing than usual: he sports a thick red beard! As Margaret, O'Hara is ravishing, her red hair blazing in lush Technicolor & Anthony Quinn snarls and sneers as the heavy, Wogan. This film was nominated for its special effects and musical score (by Alfred Newman); it won an AA for Leon Shamroy's beautiful photography.

Women love it, too
(...) Yes, it's a bit "sexist" by today's standards, but have you read a romance novel lately? There is some odd appeal many women have for "reforming" the bad seed through love. Yeah, it never happens in real life, but who says movies have to be real life? I don't understand the psychology behind it, but I do understand a good pirate movie with sword fights, danger at sea, and damsels in distress. A great example of the classic Hollywood genre and I can watch it over and over!

Another Tyrone Power masterpiece...needs DVD release
The most gorgeous movies ever made were in the 1940s and 1950s, and all were in Technicolor. One of the most popular male stars to appear in Technicolor was Tyrone Power, and this is another one of his great titles. It is a rip-roaring, exciting pirate adventure that is VASTLY superior to "Pirates of the Caribbean". Lovely Maureen O'Hara photographs beautiful in Technicolor, as does George Sanders (in a red beard!).

Fox needs to stop being so concerned about The Simpsons and The X-Files and start releasing all of Tyrone Power's movies on DVD, including this one. Tyrone Power was the handsomest actor in Hollywood, and his movies were some of the best ever made.

Decent 1940's swashbuckler
Tyrone Power and the stunning flame haired Maureen O'Hara make a fetching couple in the colorful and rollicking swashbuckling costumer The Black Swan.

Set in the Caribbean in the 1650's, the former pirate Henry Morgan, played by the blustering and unfortunate titan Laird Cregar has just been named governor of Jamaica. He commissions his right hand man captain Jamie Waring played by the dashing Power, and his mates to rid the area of pirates. Captain Billy Leech played by the ridiculously red wigged and bearded George Sanders refuses to follow Morgan's orders. Aided by Anthony Quinn, complete with eyepatch, they set out to plunder Maracaibo on the The Black Swan.

Power, smitten with O'Hara, who plays the former Jamaican governor's daughter, kidnaps her and sets out to sea after Sanders.

Director Henry King uses a familiar Hollywood formula of adventure, romance, and attractive stars to create a pretty fair representative of this genre. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The MGM reunion of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, 10 years after their last RKO picture, happened by accident. The Barkleys of Broadway was meant to pair Astaire with Judy Garland as a follow-up to their 1948 hit Easter Parade. Garland, however, had to drop out due to health problems and was replaced by Ginger, who had gone on to a successful career in nonmusical drama and comedy.As it turned out, the plot probably suited Ginger better than it did Garland.Josh and Dinah Barkley are a veteran song-and-dance couple whose routine bickering turns into a complete breakup when Dinah decides she hasn't received enough credit for her talent and leaves Josh to take a straight dramatic role as Sarah Bernhardt.Fred and Ginger are as charming and comfortable together as a veteran couple should be, but this film is not a return to the RKO days--its elements are trademark MGM: splashy colors, Fred in a gimmicky solo number (playing sorcerer's apprentice to a line of unoccupied shoes), Oscar Levant providing his usual dynamic pianism and acerbic personality, and a score that is at its best when it borrows songs from a previous generation.In fact, Harry Warren, who provided the music for Ira Gershwin's lyrics, was upset that the film's big ballroom number recycled George and Ira Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away from Me," which Fred and Ginger had introduced (but did not dance to) in 1937's Shall We Dance.Frankly, though, "They Can't Take That Away" not only works well thematically, but is one of the greatest songs ever written for the screen, while Warren's score is merely adequate and unmemorable.All in all, The Barkleys of Broadway is a warm, welcome, and not completely satisfying reunion.Watch it, then watch Swing Time again.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (10)

better than what people say
people say that this is the weakest of the A/R bunch but I strongly disagree. It may not be their strongest (Top Hat & Swing Time) but it's not their weakest. It may even be in the top five. I agree with the other reviewers that the first time you watch it you're like "Ok, that was just fine." the secind time you watch it you say "that was actually very good" and the third time "that was wonderful!" This is a better than average MGM movie, and quite sophisticated too. JUdy annd Fred were fine in "Easter Parade" but who could beat our beloved Ginger Rogers with Fred? The direction is wonderful, some of the best they'd had. The acting is excellent, it's funny witty and the dances I think are superb. The technicolor is also beautiful, and it's nice to see Gin's blue eyes and deep red lip rouge. Ginger is no longer a lithe little thing with a delicate baby face, but she's beautiful and very grown up looking. She is in a woman's body now, and after not doing a real musical for almost 10 years (!) she is in incredible form. Her dancing is really up to par with Astaire.
Some intersing technical notes, in the Barkley's house. They have one bed that they share. Nowadays that seems like nothing, but back then the censors were still hot on the idea that married people shouldn't share a bed in movies, because it suggested sex. (So where DO babies come from then.) (At one point Fred does think Ginger's pregnant, but by 1949 the censors still couldn't read between the lines.) Another interesting thing is that they have their own bathroom, divided by a shoulder height wall. It comes to principal use when Roger's is undressing and we (including astaire only) see her shoulders and up.(God forbid she take off her shirt in front of her husband!)
The dance number are really exceptional in this. 0We see Swing Trot through the credits, but we catch the end alone, and it's really swell, then, Astaire croons to Rogers back at their house after bickering (again) while they're in bathrobes. (almost like the famed scene in Swing Time when he sings "the way you look tonight" and she come sout with shampoo in he hair) this time he sings, "you'd be so hard to replace" as if to remind the audience that for ten years, his partners haven't been up to the par as Ginger was. then there's 'Bouncin' the blues' i think one of their best taps together. it's a rehaersal number, and it's just adorable, sweet, and loads of fun to watch. It's that old Astaire/Rogers magic. It's almost like a grown up version of "I'll be hard to handle" Ginger and her liquid hips make a stripper's exit at the end of the number, with Fred leaning on her exended arm. Later that day, Josh and Dinah go to an art museum, where they are to see the unveiling of a new portrait of them. It shows Dinah as a pancake, and Josh, as the plate that molds her, (which is the common conception people had of A/R throughout their careers.) Ginger retorts at the sculpture in deadpan style. "Why is my face a pancake?" It's quite a funny scene. "my one and only highland fling" renews teh comical stuff they could do together. Ginger had a knack for putting on accents and mocking people. which is seen throughout her 73 movie career. 'MOAOHF' is a delightful number, and the ending is sweet. "A day in the country" is sund to Oscar Levant, as they take a trip to the country for a while, while he wants to go back to NY" Ginger's voice is extremely good in this song, it seems to have develpoed a bit. "Shoes with wings on" is Fred's customary big solo and it's very good. what else can you say about the man who defied dancing? It's really quite good. But we can''t waut for his reunion with Gin. (They'd split at this pouint) Possibly the best number in the fil, "They can't take that away from me" a reprise from their 1937 movie "shall we dance?" it's one of my favorite songs period, and he sings it beautifully to her on stage. If you watch Her face expressions, you'll realize how much this number really means. The dance is gorgeous too. After the song is over, Ginger starts to cry, which she has always done with such emotion. Manhatten downbeat is their last dance together and it's a big splashy finish, with beautiful costumes. The very end show a close up of the greatest dancing team's faces.
20 years after Barkley's, they reunites at the academy awards, where they presented an oscar. They did a swirl and dip for old times, and the applause was so overwhlmind, the forgot to stop holding hands. :-)

Really good Fred and Ginger
This movie is the only color Fred and Ginger movie. It's really good, nice dancing, fun to see them older and in color. The dance "I've Got Shoes With Wings On" is really fun and amazing. Fred sure could dance. This isn't their best movie, it's my 5th favorite Fred and Ginger. I think "Follow the Fleet" is far more romantic, but if you're a Ginger and Fred fan, this is a must see. They made this movie after years of not working together. They were so good together, it's pretty funny, too.

way of thinking
If you think of this as an ASTAIRE_ROGERS movie, then you will have some trouble. However, If you think of this as a movie WITH Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, then you will enjoy it. I thought it was very nice, especially when they did the "they can't take that away from me" and dance to it. Ginger doesn't look a day older than 30. (she's 38, and still adorable)We also have to remember, that this was after the depression, after the war, and ten years of different audiences since thier last picture. not to mentio MGM instead of RKO, so of course it will be different. The magic is still there, but in a different way. Don't look for it, but accept it as it is, and you'll find that Asaire-Rogers chemisrty never left.

It's MGM, by way of variety television.
It's weird the things that get stuck in your memory. I never thought of this as an inferior film just because the formula separates itself from the RKO depression-era 30's (the film was made in 1949), though I seem to be hearing this a lot from critics. In fact, when I first saw the dance of 'They Can't Take That Away from Me,' I actually thought it was a performance from a TV special, not a movie. The performance is an exhibit, not a love scene. There's something almost- I don't know- *cold* about the way they move on that bare, heavily draped, stage. It's also the first and only adagio they perform in color- which, in itself has a sense of an era ending. Nevertheless, they have the same emotional connection to each other, and at the ages of 38 and 50 respectively, they still carry off the grace and elegance. When they saunter off the stage, an excited audience breaks into applause- like they've been watching an act from THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. It's extrordinary that ten years after Rogers remade herself doing straight award-winning drama and Astaire remade himself as a solo performer and a man who could dance with just about anyone, they could settle back into one more film and not have one strain of foot or hair out of place. MGM formula and Oscar Levant aside, it's a very nice way to end a professional marriage.

Finale in Color
Fred and Ginger put a cap on their careers together once more.

Its silly to spend words on what is so pleasing to see...so
Comden and Green, Harry Warren and Ira Gershwin under the hat of the unique Arthur Freed. Wonders never cease

CP ... Read more

Amazon.com

Legendary actress Joan Crawford (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?) stars in this 1941 melodrama directed by George Cukor (A Star Is Born, Adam's Rib) as a scheming con woman and blackmailer, a bitter woman shut off from society because of a disfiguring scar. The opportunity to undergo an operation--by plastic surgeon Melvyn Douglas--to remove the offending scar presents her with a choice: open herself up to a whole new life or return to her old ways and the only life she's ever known. Eventually, Crawford is drawn back into her old ways by her lover, Conrad Veidt (Casablanca), as he enlists her aid in a kidnapping and murder plot. Soon she finds herself trapped between her hopes for a new beginning and the malevolent double-crossing lover who seeks to exploit her for the woman she used to be, rather than who she can be. Crawford is oddly touching as a woman who undergoes a spiritual rebirth, yet cannot shake the pull of her past. A Woman's Face is one of those classic dramas, deliciously wicked and immensely enjoyable. --Robert Lane ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Let's Not Forget Lighting and Photography
Yes, under Cukor's direction Joan Crawford and the other players give performances of their lives but what keeps me coming back to this film is also its stunning black and white cinematography.

Crawford's Finest
Anyone who doubts Joan Crawford's acting ability should watch the first half of this wonderful George Cukor film (second half dissolves into standard MGM melodrama fare). She is heartbreaking and constantly compelling. One wonders what could have happened to her career if she had been used more for her talent than her looks. Conrad Veidt is her spine tingling costar. A dynamic and dastardly duo!

Joan Crawford - what a face!
To the point: Joan once said her performance in A Woman's Face has led her in winning an Oscar for Mildred Pierce. Directed by George Cukor A Woman's Face was indeed a film that shows that Joan was not only a star but an dramatic actress.

from an audience point of view.
...

CRAWFORD ACTS.
This film contains a superior Joan Crawford performance, and one in which her fans should appreciate. It took courage for Crawford, who was, in 1941, the glamour girl of 49 movies and the idol of autograph hounds to be the face in A WOMAN'S FACE. When you come to know her as Anna Holm on the screen, she is a sullen slattern, the brain trust of a ring of sniveling criminals, a sort of female "Sea Wolf" who beats, bullies and blackmails her victims. The reason for this behaviour you discover in a series of flashbacks from a Swedish courtroom, where, heavily veiled, Anna stands trial for murder. From the testimony you learn that when she was 5, her brilliant, drunken father had set fire to her room. From then on she has been disfigured by a ghastly scar that criss-crosses her right cheek from mouth to eye and is only rarely revealed by M-G-M. Shunned by a horrified society, she has sought refuge in music, painting, poetry and alcohol only to find final solace and revenge in a life of crime. All this changes when she meets Conrad Veidt...........M-G-M's remake of the 1937 Swedish film - which starred Ingrid Bergman - unfortunately loses its brisk forward-moving psychological narrative and dissolves into an overexposure of melodramatic sweetness and light. But, in 1941, most critics were impressed by Crawford's savage, snarling performance & gave her a four star rating, calling A WOMAN'S FACE her fortune!

One of Cukor's best.
Cukor matches Joan Crawford's moral, social and, er, facial transformation with his own generic transformation. The film, despite its underworld milieu and courtroom framework, begins as ripe melodrama; it closes as a finger-disfiguringly tense thriller. Crawford plays one of the most remarkable female characters in Hollywood's history - how many female ganglords, blackmailers, thieves and women of easy virtue get not only to morally redeem themselves, but get the man too? Behind it all, Cukor shapes a fierce, ironic social critique, and pulls off some of his most remarkable shots, my favourite being the hall of mirrors Joan admires herself in after the operation. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

An Obscure Gem - Technicolor from the 1940s
If ever there was a film crying out to be remade, this is it! Where is Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, or Robert Rodriguez for this project? I would cast Salma Hayek as Malintzin (Marina), Mexican Novela star Andres Garcia as Cortez, find a role for Cuban actor Cesar Evora, and film the whole thing in Spanish and Nahuatl. Rather than focus on Tyrone Power's Diego de Vargas, I might select Malintzin's earlier life in Tabasco and perhaps that of Cortez in Spain and or Cuba. Given the recent rise of long films (LOTR), historic period epics (Titanic & Gladiator), and subtitled antique language films (Passion of the Christ), this seems more possible than ever. This is one of the most magnificent stories in human history, and could certainly make one of the greatest films ever as well.

Back to this feature, I was very impressed that it was filmed in Mexico, had fairly good attention to detail on historic costumes, and the Mexica were actually speaking the Aztec language of Nahuatl. I liked the sequence with the Inquisition (showed that Europe was barbarous as well), and loved the Spanish guitar scene, although it could have used a powerful Mexica dance (climaxed by human sacrifice, of course!). The beating drums were perfect for mood, growing stronger as they moved closer and closer to the heart of Mexico. The most disappointing part is when the film ends just where it should have gotten good, with the Lago Texcoco and the magnificent floating city of Tenochtitlan in the distance. Mr. Spielberg, are you taking notes???

History and Hollywood Merge
I remember seeing "Captain From Castile" as a young boy on our B/W TV set with a 14" screen. My Dad had read the book years before and was as excited as I to see the movie in our home. The film captured all the romance, adventure, and swashbuckling drama that I loved then, and still love as a man in my 50s. Since then, I've seen this film many times and have read extensively about the Conquest of Mexico (In English AND Spanish!) and find much of the movie historically accurate with regard to the conquistadors' confrontation with the Mejica, the indigenous people who built the city of Tenochtitlan. Samuel Shellabarger's novel is more exciting to read, of course, especially the "Noche Triste" chapter, which was not in the movie, but I feel that the film should also be enjoyed as pure entertainment. It brings out the boy in me every time. I wish my Dad was still alive to enjoy seeing Tyrone Power and Jean Peters follow Cesar Romero's Cortes on his "conquest."

This is a wonderful movie.
"Captain from Castile" is a wonderful movie.Please release this movie onto DVD.

Greatest Historical Fiction Film.
Not only the movie has some of the greatest movie stars and future movie stars, it tells one of the great episodes in the
history of the world at the time.
Clean cut movie making also here in this movie. No vulgar language, high class acting and love at its best..

Good book turned into a masterpice!
Capatin From Castile was, as one reviewer mentions, the "TITANIC of its time". A costly monumental picture.
It is a spectacle and has one of the most impressive cinematrographic styles of the late 40's. On top of that, it is well directed and superbly acted by the handsome Tyrone Power, the very beautiful Jean Peters (in her first role), Cesar Romero, John Sutton, Thomas Gomez and Lee J. Cobb.
Alfred Newman's score is today a classic and also a masterpice.
And despite what anyone may think, most of it is based on factual history.
A bit of TRIVIA
During the filming of this flick, Power was seeing Lana Turner who had just broken up an affair with Howard Hughes. Hughes was then seeing Jean Peters, whom he had just met (and later married), but Jean had fallen in love with the film's assistant director Stan Hough (whom she married after she divorced Hughes, some 20 years after Captain From Castile was released). On the other hand it was rumored that Ty Power had a relationship with another actor involved in the film, who was then seeing a male friend of Hughes, and that Power had once been Errol Flynn's secret lover. Cary Grant flew with Hughes to Mexico (it was also rumored that Grant had an alledged affair with an alledged ex lover of Hughes - Randolph Scott). More rumors: It was also rumored that Hughes once bedded Flynn. Cesar Romero, who made three films with Jean Peters, years later joked about all this.
What is most unbelievable(and this is on record in FBI files)is that during one repose during the filming of Castile, all these people stayed at the Hotel Reforma in Mexico. And there were some nasty confrontations there. An example: Someone told a story that Lana Turner confronted Hughes in his room and scolded him for having ditched her for Peters. With tears in her eyes Lana exclaimed, "I thought you loved me Howard. I thought you wanted to marry me". Peters is said to have quietly left the room to join a group of friends. Her friends had all heard about the incident and so Jean remarked with a grin, "For that performance Lana should be given an Academy Award".
The role of Catana (Peters's role) had been offered to Linda Darnell who had also been Hughes's lover and to Jennifer Jones, who was not involved with anyone on this film but had ditched her husband, actor Robert Walker, to become (and later marry) producer David O'Selsnick's lover - who had refused to lend his contract player (Jones) to FOX to play Catana in CASTILE - and that was lucky for Jean.
CAPTAIN FROM CASTILLE deserves more respect than it has been given and it is certainly a MUST SEE FLICK!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Of the many film versions of Victor Hugo's novel, this classic from Hollywood's golden year of 1939 remains the best, rivaled only by the 1923 silent version starring Lon Chaney. In his triumphant attempt to create a performance as memorable as Chaney's, Charles Laughton played the lovelorn Parisian hunchback Quasimodo under a disfiguring costume and gruesome makeup that rendered the actor almost unrecognizable. The result is a gripping and heartfelt portrayal of the misshapen bell ringer who falls desperately in love with the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda (played by Maureen O'Hara). The lavish production also greatly benefits from exquisitely moody black-and-white cinematography, brilliant medieval set design, and the atmospheric direction by German expatriate William Dieterle, whose style was heavily influenced by German films of the era. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Laughton is Amazing
Charles Laughton is one of the great actors of all time. Watching this version of Vitor Hugo's novel it is not hard to see why. Laughton looks like he was born to play Quasimodo, the deaf and disfigured bell keeper of Notre Dome Cathedral. Wearing heavy face make up and a body suit, Laughton literally transformed himself to play the part. This novel has been adapted several times for the screen , but this is the best one. The performances are on the whole excellent. Particularly Cedric Hardwicke as the cold Chief Justice of Paris. Maureen O'Hara also gives a strong performance as Esmeralda. The direction of William Dieterle is very good, although he concentates a little too much on the subplots at times. On the whole this is an excellent film, that despite it's age, hardly seems dated. The story is a timeless classic and so is this film. Watch it just for Laughton's performance.

Grim,filled with pathos and terrific acting!!
This version of "THoND" is in my opinion,the best ever made.Charles Laughton epitomizes all the sadness,frustration and anguish the Hunchback feels when he falls in love with the beautiful Gypsy girl who showed him kindness..The supporting cast is wonderful,with Sir Cedric Hardwicke excelling as the Chief Justice who falls under the spell of the lovely Gypsy girl,Esmeralda,played gently and kindly by Maureen O'Hara.
When you begin watching this movie, you forget it is Charles Laughton.The make-up he wears is grotesque,and he is unrecognizable,but even through all the make up you can feel the gut-wrenching emotions he so ably portrays to the viewer.
Any classic film lover will most certainly already have this masterpiece on his/her DVD shelf.If you don't already have it,please give it a try.You will not be disappointed.Then,after you watch it,check out"The Beauty and the Beast," by Jean Cocteau,1948.Another classic love story not to be missed.

Hugo's Hunchback: Outer Ugliness Hides Inner Beauty
When director William Dieterle transformed Victor Hugo's THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME to fit the big screen, he succeeded in capturing the power and sweep of an age that was characterized by individual examples of humanity lost in a sea of inhumanity. Much has been said about the universality of the Beauty and the Beast theme that has marked many past and future books, movies, and television series. Here, Dieterle makes use of the considerable talents of Charles Laughton as Quasimodo, Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as Frollo, all of whom play out their lives against a brute Parisian government that seemed determined to crush any opposition. One of the less acknowledged aspects of the Beauty versus Beast contrast is the theme that the beauty of Esmeralda and the beastiness of Quasimodo are not limited to those two alone. The very system that wrecks the lives of the poverty-stricken populace puts on a facade of saintliness that makes its inner core of corrupt ugliness all the more stark.

O'Hara's Esmeralda is sweetness personified. She is a lovely gypsy woman who unhappily catches the eye of a lecherous Chief Prosecutor, sanctimoniously played by Hardwicke, who commits a murder only to frame Esmeralda, who has rejected his advances. Hardwicke plays the Chief Prosecutor in a way that brings to mind every corrupt official who has ever been caught with his hand in the till. He sees nothing wrong with using the full weight of his office to humiliate and condemn a woman who has done nothing to deserve this. Enter Quasimodo, a hunchbacked and deaf bell ringer whose appearance frightens others to the same extent that Esmeralda's captivates these same others. Early on, she takes pity on him by giving him water after a savage lashing. Later, he shows that his inner being is far more decent and sensitive than the hypocrites that cry out for his blood. The trial that condemns Esmeralda as a murderous witch says a great deal more about the repressed ugliness of the judges even as they mouth pious and empty phrases that can only caricature but not capture the spirit of their criminal justice system, which in any event, stacks the deck against anyone whom the church accuses of misdeeds. Frollo's perfect diction,his sonorous phrasing, and his impressive robes linger in the audience's mind as a truly terrifying symbol of evil. The people of Paris themselves have two faces as well. As Quasimodo is being whipped, nearly every voice is raised against him. The mob of Paris was as unthinking then as when, centuries later, Madame Guillotine lopped off countless heads during the French Revolution. Yet, these same Parisians could storm a church where they mistakenly believed the King's soldiers were headed to arrest Esmeralda and take her for hanging. The theme of outer appearances hiding its inner opposites makes an unexpected appearance when Quasimodo intervenes and kills many of these same Parisians who want only to save Esmeralda from the King's soldiers who have been given new orders to save her. The final scenes of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME are full of unforgettable savageries made even more unforgettable by their lack of necessity. Quasimodo laughs maniacally as he repells the church door crashing mob. At the end, only Esmeralda finds a measure of closure as she is reunited with her lover. But for Quasimodo, all he has is the certainty that Esmeralda is safe from the rampaging mob, the lecherous criminal justice system, and an uncaring royal army. Quasimodo's closing line as he addresses the stone gargoyles atop the bells of his beloved church--"Why can't my heart be as stony as thee"--well evokes the paradox that often virtue comes with a high price tag. For good-hearted men--even human gargoyles like him, Quasimodo emerges as a man whose humanity dwarfs all those around him.

Good movie
Charles Laughton's performance of Quasimodo is excellent, instilling not only sympathy for the character, but also a sense of how the character's deformity caused him to be abused by not only the common people, but by a clergyman also.

It's not really fair to compare this version with the Lon Chaney silent. Chaney's performance is the stuff of legend, but this version is excellent. The visual quality is much better. The Chaney version is a classic, but it was a one-man show practically. Laughton's version has many fine performances by other actors also.

Recommended

Movie acting doesn't get any better than this!
Charles Laughton delivers what is,unequivocally, one of Hollywood's greatest performances. His "Quasimodo" embodies all of an actor's craft. Hidden and hard unrecognizable under heavy makeup, the performer manages to convey the spectrum of human emotion.

A young Maureen O'Hara as the beautiful "Esmeralda" and Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the sinister "Frollo" are equally as mesmerizing.

Acting 101 should make this required viewing and no film library is complete without it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

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

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

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

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

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

Reviews (18)

A fun musical
I can honestly say that I watched this film, not expecting much, but it turned out to be amazing. Gene Kelly and Judy Garland have really good chemistry and both actors are incredibly talented. I consider it a bit of a lost treasure.

Gene Kelly and Judy Garland in their prime
This delightful musical (in color!) follows the story of a young woman (Garland) who is in love with the pirate she has only read and dreamt about. On the eve of her marriage to another man, an actor (Kelly) becomes smitten with her and acts the part of the pirate she's always wanted. But where is the real buccaneer...? This movie must be seen by anyone who likes the classic musical.

Brilliant!
The funniest line I remember is "Don't call me Pure Sole! It irritates me!" This is a wonderfully acted movie. The songs and dances in this movie are PERFECT! I don't think I like Gene Kelly with a moustache very much!

A SATIRICAL MUSICAL
This is NOT the average musical u might expect from this era. It is a swashbuckling spoof of Douglas Fairbanks Sr, Errol Flynn and their pirate adventures.

BUT it is more. It shows us Manuela(Garland) who enters womanhood and lust for sex and roughesss. YES - strong stuff in 1948. Indeed the musical sequence Vodoo was deleted from the film(Mayer ordered it burned and screamed out "We`ll be raided by the police" when he saw the rushes and reprimanded Kelly severely). Apparently is was a dance-sequence that builded up sexual heat hehehe.

Judy, Gene, Slezak and Cooper are ALL in excellent stage farce form. Gene`s dance displays are on a sensual high - and many has commented 2 me that they identify themselves with Manuela on the brink of sexual discovery...

The score is by Cole Porter(OK) but the scenic design and direction by the color master VINCENTE MINNELLI. It was his last with Judy before they divorced in 1951.

Brilliant
This is so funny and brilliant, I love 'mack the black' song, one of te best gene kelly musicals, definitely worth watching ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Hard to get used to ...
seeing Gladys George start off in this movie as the wife of a wealthy French lawyer, since the only other two times I'd seen her, she was far less lofty: she's the Woman Who REALLY Loves James Cagney's Eddie Bartlett in "The Roaring Twenties" and has a much smaller role as Dana Andrews' broken down stepmother in "The Best Years of Our Lives" . So here, she's the unfaithful wife who must leave her home never to return in order to protect her husband's career and her son's place in society. Warren Williams turns in an appropriately starchy performance as her unsympathetic husband, but it's Henry Daniell who really steals the show as a dastardly fellow blackmailing Madame X about her real identity. Not bad at all.

Gorgeous George
LA FEMME X, that glorious old potboiler of thwarted mother love, served as a triumphant vehicle for everyone from Sarah Bernhardt to Tuesday Weld (!!!), but no version plucks at the heartstrings more effectively than the Gladys George starrer. Remembered by many moviegoers for her nightclub moll in THE ROARING TWENTIES, George had rare leading roles in this film and her Oscar-nominated VALIANT IS THE WORD FOR CARRIE, and she really brings home the bacon here. Perhaps a trifle world-weary for the straying matron and dispossessed wife at the picture's beginning, she's perfect for the gin-soaked wandering years mid-film, and incredibly moving in her final scenes. A rock would shed tears at Madame X's fate; Gladys George embraces and transcends the melodrama inherent in this role and makes it something human and real and aching. If you like weepers, lay in a big supply of Kleenex before you pop this one in the VCR. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I Watched It for Warren
Yes, the sole reason I sought out this movie was because it features as a villain one of my favorite (and just about forgotten) actors, Warren William. Now, with the same technique, I've come across some really good movies, like "Cleopatra" and "Employees Entrance", but "The Firefly" ain't one of them. And it isn't because it's an operetta--I liked "Rosemarie" and "Maytime". No, it's because it's boring and extremely unbelieveable. Eventually, I grew impatient waiting for Warren William to appear, and put the film on Fast Forward. Even then, time passed slowly. In addition, I had heard the name, "Donkey Serenade" before, but I found that song to be something of a loser too. SO, my advice is, watch some other Jeanette MacDonald movie, not this one.

"Firefly" lights up the screen
I saw this movie on TCM and absolutely fell in love with it. I have seen most of Jeannette MacDonald's films, and this is by far the best performance - singing, acting, and even dancing - she has ever given. Alan Jones is a refreshing change from Nelson Eddy, and much more talented. The plot is full of love and intrigue (NOT slow as Maltin claims), with MacDonald as a Spanish spy during the Napoleonic wars, and Jones as the aristocratic playboy who falls for her without knowing who she really is. Songs include not only the classic "Donkey Serenade," but also "Gianina Mia," a passionate and beautiful love song. This film is an absolute must-see for any fan of musical operetta. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A little-noticed gem
The Seventh Cross is an absolutely dazzling motion picture that is notable in several ways.
Tracy's brooding performance is unforgettable, and the supporting players and even the bits--such as the fellow prisoners--leave indelible impressions. Many of the players were themselves refugees from Hitler, and the wife of Bertold Brecht--the role model for "Mother Courage"--has a brief walk-on role.
It's also notable that this film deals with a subject that Hollywood dealt with only sparsely during World War II, which was the concentration camps and brutality of the Nazi regime. While it only touches on anti-Semitism, the very fact that the word "Jew" was used in this movie is remarkable.
But above all it is a tightly-plotted, brilliantly acted motion picture that has held up very well over the years.

"Circle of Friends" Save Life of Man Fleeing Nazis
This film version of the award-winning Anna Segers novel, is the story of one man who manages to escape a Third Reich Era Nazi concentration camp, then continues his quest for freedom, aided by many friends, even strangers, who with their selfless kindness, at the risk of their own freedom and lives, feed, hide and otherwise tend to this man, whose only fault is that he was born a jew.

This film serves as powerful testimony to the fact that humans are inately kind and just, regardless of what brutal regime of terror and injustice they may live in. Opposition to the Nazi terror machine was not always violent and vocal, but, as seen here, silent, and without much furore. Many touching scenes show how virtual strangers lend support, doing so without taking credit, sometimes signaling with only a nod or a barely noticeable gesture.

The desire to aide the innocent and to have compassion for the oppressed is within us all. This film brilliantly reminds us of the genuinely good human qualities that set us aside from savages. Look for a youthful Jessica Tandy in a supporting role. This is a rare 5-star Hollywood Classic!*****

They don't make them like this anymore
What a pleasant surprise when I first viewed "The Seventh Cross." I thought the movie might be good, but simply "good" does not adequately describe this film. It is superb. The acting is excellent, especially for a movie of its time. But what else would you expect from Spencer Tracy, Hume Cronym, Jessica Tandy, and Agnes Morehead? Even the bit characters played their parts very well. The story is suspenseful and easily keeps your interest. Of the more than 250 movies in my private library, this is one of the best. Every movie lover should watch this film, and if you, like I, enjoy stories built around the World War II era, "The Seventh Cross" is an absolute "must see." They just don't make movies like this anymore.

A great film!
This is an excellent film and a must see for all Spencer Tracy fans. While the story is about seven men who escape from a concentration camp, it follows one of them (Tracy) and the people he meets who put their lives at risk in order to help him find freedom. The film also stars the pretty Signe Hasso, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy and Agnes Moorehead. This is a wonderful film that is highly recommended!

Suspenseful and unusual World War II film
3 1/2 stars. This early Fred Zinnemann effort takes a humanistic look at pre-war Nazi Germany. It avoids the "lets all hate the Germans" stance of other war films of the early forties and while it shows evil Germans it also shows Germans whose innate decency compels them to aid the hero who is on the run from the Gestapo. Tracy, with minimal dialogue, gives a fine, intense performance. There is good work , too, from Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy. Zinnemann conveys considerable suspense as well as a completely believable European ambience. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Classic Sherlock Holmes
I loved this entry in the series. It was full of pithy, classic, Holmes deductions and Watson wise cracks. I enjoyed the other two WWII movies that were part of the Sherlock Holmes series and highly recommend this one as well. I thought it was excellent!!!! This movie is homeschooler friendly!

Enjoyable curio
Other than "Dressed to Kill," the last entry in Universal's 12 film Sherlock Holmes series, "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" may be the weakest effort but it remains an enjoyable curio.

In this third film, the attempt to update Holmes for the 20th century reached its zenith as the producers sent the great detective into the very center of the New World, Washington D.C., in another episode devoted to espionage and criminal activity related to World War II. The novelty is tolerable if only because we know there are less gimmicky, superior entries to come, but anyone whose love of Holmes came from the original Conan Doyle stories rather than the film adaptations will wince at this film more than any other. Basil Rathbone entertainingly overplays the role this time, and with his eccentric hairstyle and wardrobe looks less like Sherlock Holmes than my tenth grade high-school English teacher, the one everyone suspected of being gay (not that there's anything wrong with that).

What makes this entry worthwhile, aside from the always entertaining emoting of Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (more bumbling than ever as he discovers the Sunday newspaper comics and chewing gum) is the supporting cast. The superb George Zucco, whose Satanic presence enlivened many a B horror movie and who already appeared as Professor Moriarty in 20th Century Fox's "Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," comes slithering back, not as Moriarty but as another demented creature, and Henry Daniell, who would be the best Moriarty of all (in Basil Rathbone's opinion, as well as mine) in "Woman in Green," is also on hand with his share of villainy.

This film may have greatest value for history buffs and sociologists than for Holmes fans, however. It remains fascinating to see how a major Hollywood film studio converted a beloved literary figure into a special agent as a way to contribute to the United States' propaganda campaign during WWII.

A Big Country, Watson, and a Small Match Folder
When I was a wee lad steeped in Conan Doyle's original Sherlock Holmes stories, this movie struck me as plain awful. It was painful to see Sherlock as a tourist in a wildly inappropriate DC milieu (the back-projected crazy quilt of Washington monuments on his drive around town makes it seem the chauffeur is on crack), spouting pax Americana patriotism and even paying tribute to the crime-fighting superiority of the FBI (??!!). Nigel Bruce was a particular affront as a doddering Dr. Watson, noisily sucking down ice cream sodas and struggling to read 30 pages on a 10-hour transatlantic flight.

But time has been kind to "SH in Washington." This was the first of these movies written by Bertram Millhauser, who always came up with witty dialogue for Rathbone and Bruce and snarky bits of malice for the supporting cast. Basil Rathbone gives a hopped-up performance as Holmes, barking out ludicrously improbable deductions and even reprising his Louis XI imitation as a limp-wristed "eccentric" collector. There is a small gem of a performance from Gerald Hamer (unbilled, sadly) as the master spy who sets the plot in motion -- he gives the movie a few whiffs of danger, intrigue and poignance. And it's hard to dislike a movie with two Moriartys: silky sadist Henry Daniell and glittery-eyed psycho George Zucco. By the way, the suspense hinges on the fate of a fast-dwindling book of matches, so if you're trying to quit smoking, this is not the movie for you.

Washington never looked so good!
I am writing this pre-review to express my Great Expectations and excitement over the upcoming DVD release of the 14 Sherlock Holmes movies made by Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.
For those of us who have loved and worn out our VHS versions of these films, I am sure that I speak for many of us in expressing incredible anticipation and near shock that someone has finally recognized the need to release a "restored version" of these timeless classics.
We are told that they have been "Preserved and restored in 35mm by the UCLA Film and Television Archive." This is marvelous and I have already pre-ordered Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 from MPI Home Video.
I so hope that the entire 14 movies, are ultimately released in restored condition. Especially the rarest of them, "The Scarlet Claw" which has rarely been shown on televison and only been available on VHS sporadically.
To me and many others I know, Basil Rathbone is the definative Holmes. Not just because he looks alarmingly similar -as much as is humanly possible- to Sidney Pagets drawings of Holmes from the Strand Magazine illustrations, but mostly we love Rathbone because he portrayed the same Holmes that we as readers get through the buffer of Dr. Watson explaining away not magnifying Holmes' shortcomings.
Jeremy Brett chose to amplify every negative aspect of Holmes' personality that in the written versions Watson explained away. Rathbone's Holmes has been demeaned visciously over the past years and hopefully the respect and dignity that he gave his portrayals will be seen in all their accuracy and glory with these new digitally restored releases. ... these will have to be the best quality versions of these classics ever released...so for all of us who have cursed the incomprehensibly awful releases of these films over the years...our time has almost come. Show your support for this effort by ordering a restored version of American Film Histroy.
Much Thanks to UCLA, MPI, and Whoever was ultimately responsible for the idea of doing this!!!!

Sherlock Holmes in Washington
None of these Rathbone/Bruce movies are a very accurate representation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, but I find them enjoyable nevertheless. I always enjoy seeing Rathbone and Bruce in the roles of Holmes and Watson although neither of them would win any awards for accuracy. I found "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" to be one of the more enjoyable films in the series. I love the scene where Holmes is in the antique store even though he makes a mistake that the Holmes in Doyle's stories never would have made. I would recommend this movie as long as you don't mind something that's not very faithful to the canon. If you're looking for something more faithful then I would suggest the Jeremy Brett series (which I also love). ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Great transfer for good film
Most people either love or hate the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Critics always point out that the films bear little resemblance to Doyle's original stories, and this is true of the 12 "modernized" movies that Universal made between 1942-46. But the two 20th Century Fox movies (this one and Hound of the Baskervilles) are different. They were quality productions set during the Victorian era and, even when they altered characters or plots, remained true to the flavor of Doyle's creations. Best of all, Bruce's Watson was not the buffoon that he later became in the Universal pictures.

In my opinion, however, most objections are now irrelevant, thanks to the excellent and faithful adaptations that Britain's Granada television made with Jeremy Brett as Holmes. We can finally approach the Rathbone-Bruce films as typical Hollywood literary adaptations of their era, and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is grand entertainment. The atmospheric photography, the eye for period detail, and the charming performances are things that film lovers should not deprive themselves of simply because of the film's lack of faithfulness to Doyle's stories. (Critics should keep in mind that Doyle licensed out his characters to other writers -- and even incorporated their inventions into his own stories!) I won't give away the plot, but suffice it to say that Adventures is one of the best of the Rathbone-Bruce series. (I also like Fox's Hound and Universal's Scarlet Claw.)

MPI has really surprised me with the quality of this transfer. Up until now, they've specialized in documentaries and TV shows, so their work here is very promising. (They own distribution rights to Beckett, and I'd love to see them transfer that to DVD.) The UCLA restoration is great, though please note that a 65-year-old film that's been in the public domain for years is going to show signs of age. The transfer is uniformly good, with the foggy streets of London coming alive. I haven't experienced the pausing problem that other reviewers mentioned.

The extras are very good, the main one being Valley's commentary. He sounds a little stiff at tim