Reviews (10)

Davis at her best
"Marked Woman" was one of the finest examples of Warner Brothers' 1930s gangster films. The movie is violent, lonely and sentimental without being saccharin. "Marked Woman" maximizes the Bette Davis style. Humphrey Bogart is appropriately straightforward as the assistant D.A. His crisp, clipped delivery shows his stage training, but the dynamic Bogie is nowhere to be found. That's okay as this film is not about him but about the five night club hostesses led by Ms. Davis. Rounding out the quintet are Lola Lane, Isabel Jewell, Mayo Methot and Roslaind Marquis. Their chemistry is superb and the whole movie is charged with an exciting energy. The ironic aspect of this excellent gangster film is the fact that not a single gun is fired.

Hostesses Fight Back
Bette Davis stars as a nightclub "hostess" who gets mixed up with brutal crime boss Eduardo Ciannelli, an association that leads to tragedy for Davis. She's one of five women who work at a clip joint, their jobs being to get as much money out of the male customers as possible. Davis needs the money to help support her kid sister's education. However, when her sister Jane Bryan also gets mixed up with Ciannelli, Davis finds herself doing battle with the mob, both in court and out. This is an unusually tough film and roll for Davis, and it's one of her more interesting ones. She's very good, getting a number of scenes to cut loose. Lola Lane and Isabel Jewell as two of her co-workers also give strong performances, as does Humphrey Bogart as the special prosecutor who fights for Davis. It's unusual not to see Bogart as a heavy at this point in his career, and the change of pace displays his versatility. Lloyd Bacon tightly directs the film, leaving little room for sentimentality. The film has a hard edge that suits its theme very well. It's well made and acted and fans of any of the stars will want to see it.

Good girls gone bad get done
Eduardo Ciannelli gives an wonderful, controlled performance as the gangster heavy, Vanning in "Marked Woman". His studied calm nicely offsets the histrionics of the hostesses in his employment. Betty Davis, naturally, is given the most screen time reacting hysterically to her myriad sorrows and complaints. The rest of the girls just stand around mostly like mannikins in stolen designer dresses. One of them actually sings for her supper at Club Intimate. These songs prompted me to suggest a name change: Club Irritate. The music is fluff, filler--that doesn't do anything to move the story along.

Overall, the story is quite predictable in some parts. What makes the film work is the brilliant dialogue and the unobtrusive direction. The actors are allowed to speak. The result is nonstop clever banter that never gets too serious until the end. The courtroom scene gets pretty heavy--particularly when the sentence is handed down to Vanning and his henchmen. The "message" of the film is clearly expressed by the judge during sentencing. His venomous hatred towards Vanning is made entirely too explicit.

The film presents a low opinion of the entire underground milieu. A clear distinction is made between the 5 hostesses and Mary Dwights tender, mopey sister Betty. Betty is esentially void from the moment she arrives to surprise her sister. Typically, the prey is introduced as innocent and sweet before her inevitable fate is sealed. In this case, it is the terrible realization that her college education has been payed for with dirty money that drives her to act out of character (like her sister). Naturally, it is this behaviour that gets the poor stupid girl killed. The rest of the film is built around absolving the death of this pure, guileless creature. The film suffers, despite the exellent oratory by Bogie in the courtroom. It requires the sinister machinations of the Vanning gang in order to sustain its corrosive ambience of gloom and terror. That all gets lost in the courtroom, and the verdict is a foregone conclusion. Still, the film offers a sharp script and excellent acting by the entire cast. The plot is rather pedestrian and offers no surprises. The film relies on its actors to make it plausible and for the most part, this is done with the utmost craftsmanship. 4/5

TOP NOTCH DAVIS....
Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart were a rugged team in this 1938 pot-boiler that stands above the crime melodramas of the period because the central characters are women caught in a web of evil due to their virtual enslavement to a ruthless gangster. Supposedly based on true crime files, the girls were supposed to be prostitutes but censorship demanded the term "clip-joint hostess"!!! The cast is excellent but Davis shines as Mary the central figure whose little sister winds up being killed by the gangster boss. Mary wages a battle but pays a dear price for her efforts (see the movie) and she and her co-workers (the other "girls") end up walking away into the fog with an uncertain future forever scarred by their experiences. This film demands DVD treatment. It is unforgettable once seen and a classic reminder of what movie-going once was long ago. I strongly recommend it to Davis and Bogie buffs but also to classic 30's crime fans. It's beautifully made and surprisingly tough for the period ( despite the stupid censorship regulations). Check it out....

ABOVE AVERAGE 30'S GANGSTER FLICK.
This was Bette Davis's first film after being suspended by Warner Brothers whereafter she fled to England, There was a sensational London trial. Davis was ordered by the judge to honor her contract and she returned to Los Angeles. Warner Brothers actually paid her legal fees and gave her the prime role of a nightclub B-girl (in those days they had to call them "hostesses") in this film based on New York's Lucky Luciano and his gang. Perhaps she was glad to get back to work as well, for, although a bit too overdone to my taste, she does give a firecracker of a performance. Ms. Davis in this film, or any other for that matter, is never dull.

Her sister, played by Jane Bryan (she was still a teenager and this was her second film: she was later to marry the industrialist Justin Dart), comes to the Big Apple and unwittingly gets herself involved with the Big Boss (played by Eduardo Cianelli to the hilt) with tragic results. The hostesses at this point are all marked women and they know it. What results is a dramatic courtroom trial with Humphrey Bogart in a dynamic performance as a crusading district attorney. Mayo Methot (his soon-to-be third wife; they were both awaiting the finalization of their divorces during the filming, Bogart from Mary Philips, his wife of nine years, and Methot from Percy T. Morgan, co-owner of a popular Sunset Boulevard restaurant) plays Estelle Porter, one of the hostesses, impressively, although she found little film work after that and did not live up to her promising youthful New York stage appearances. Bogart himself thought she was a very talented actress.

The action is swift, the lines are curt and often witty, and there is pathos in the ending as one really grows to care for these lost and seemingly hopeless women. Bogart offers to try to help Davis on to a new road. Perhaps she will. Perhaps she won't. To the film's credit, we are left wondering. ... Read more

Description

With ANNE BAXTER, THOMAS MITCHELL, SELENA ROYLE, WARD BOND, BOBBY DRISCOLL. Directed by LLOYD BACON. This heart-wrenching drama was made at the height of World War II, when American mothers and fathers were sending their sons off to battle. In too many cases, these young men never were to return. It opens with a simple declaration: "This is a true story." What follows is the account of five young men named Sullivan. They enjoy a typical all-American small town childhood as they share youthful adventures and mischief. The Sullivans go fishing and boating. They worship in church. They boyishly slide down the banister of their house and squabble among themselves and with others. Their hardworking father tries to set for them a good example. Their mother cooks their meals, cleans their clothes and mediates their differences. The years pass too quickly and the Sullivans become young men. They date and go to dances. One of them falls in love and marries. Then terrible!news comes, on December 7, 1941. The Japanese have launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. America is at war. "Its always been the five of us," one of the Sullivans proclaims. So they join the navy to do their patriotic duty. This is a tremendously moving account of boys grown into men and of honor and obligation, courage and sacrifice. The film is extremely well-acted, especially by Thomas Mitchell as the Sullivans father and Anne Baxter as the bride of the youngest Sullivan. Highly recommended. 113 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

An American family sends its five boys off to World War II
"The Fighting Sullivans" is the true story of five brothers who died together when their Navy ship, the Juneau, was sunk in the South Pacific during World War II. But only the last act of this 1944 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, shows the Sullivans at war. Most of this film is pure Americana, following the lives of the boys from their childhood in Waterloo, Iowa. Thomas Mitchell and the marvelous Selena Royle are the loving parents, while the five boys are played by unknown actors: Edward Ryan (Al), John Campbell (Frank), James Cardwell (George), John Alvin (Matt), and George Offerman (Joe). Trudy Marshall plays their only sister, Genevieve. Top billing actually goes to Anne Baxter as the young girl who marries into the family and will be left a widow with a baby in arms. Ward Bond plays the Navy lieutenant who befriends the family when the Sullivans insist that they will only join up if they can serve together. Eventually the Navy relents and the boys get their wish.

Audiences knew the tragic fate of the Sullivans, although the film was originally released as "The Sullivans" and pretty much bombed at the box office. Retitled "The Fighting Sullivans" and re-released, it became a smash hit. The use of unknown actors made the film all the more effective, especially since it refrained from the sort of cliches you would expect. If the scene where the parents learn all five boys have died does not get you, the next scene will: Mr. Sullivan goes off to his job on the railroad and as the train passes the water tower where his boys waved to him as kids, he salutes them. Actually, this film works so well that the final shot, of the Sullivans in uniform striding across the clouds of the afterlife does not seem one whit hokey. There is a documentary available on the Sullivans, which tells how one of the boys survived the sinking before dying in the waters off of Guadacanal. I would not have thought anything could have made this story more tragic, but that bit of information certainly made it worse for me.

True story of 5 brothers who fought & died together in WWII
"The Fighting Sullivans" is a moving tribute and true story of five brothers who served together on the same ship in WWII. The story begins with the birth of each child (including one daughter) and then continues on showing the close and loving relationships in the family through the years. There's one great scene where the father (Thomas Mitchell, who was Scarlet's father in "Gone With the Wind) teaches some of the sons a lesson about smoking -- very funny! One of the sons marries prior to the war and the movie shows some good old-fashioned "courting" (kids today should see what courting is all about!). This is a great movie for the whole family to see (as most movies were back then) with great examples of family togetherness, wholesome values, and the willingness of honorable men to do what is right even if this means that they must "pay the price" as well. Even my daughters, when they were young girls, loved this movie and still quote the line of the brother who tells his family of the girl he wants them to meet and adds, "She's swell!" This would be a great movie to see any time, but especially on Memorial Day or Veterans Day when we remember those who served and gave their all to protect and defend the United States of America.

First step in an interesting American story
The movie makes up for what it lacks in historic facts with it's ability to show the family as they truly were- a close-knit, hard-working Irish American family. The movie is an excellent example of 1940's American war-time propaganda, but is an excellent starting off point for learning more about the Sullivan's story, about their lives,their deaths, and their family, which continues to this day to carry on the legacy of the Sullivan brothers.

Today, the USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) is commissioned United States destroyer working hard to protect the country. The crew is well aware of the brother's story and the ship's motto is taken directly from one of the brother's upon joining the navy as a group- "We Stick Together". Watch the movie, and keep in mind the sailors who are out there today risking their lives in much the same way the Sullivan Brothers did 60 years ago.

Always been a favorite
I saw this movie years ago with my grandmother, and I hadn't seen it in years. Naturally, I wanted to see it again. It begins as the story of a close-knit family growing up. It follows them right into WWII into their untimely demise. A true tear-jerker...and a classic that ranks up there with "It's a Wonderful Life."

Excellent
This movie is great. I first saw it as a kid about 15 years ago, & fell in love with it immeadiately. Even then it made me cry. Everyone should see this movie about 5 brothers who make the ultimate sacrifice. They are mentioned in Saving Private Ryan, but its' a shame that more people don't know about the Sullivan Brothers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Long before Rocky Balboa went the distance, there was the original Rock--as in Knute Rockne. His story, a classic 1940 biopic, combines vintage gridiron action with heart-tugging sentiment. Yup, this is the film with the famous halftime pep talk and Ronald Reagan's "win just one for the Gipper" deathbed plea. Yeah, it's corny. But so what. Lloyd Bacon, one of Hollywood's ablest craftsmen (42nd Street), directed with just the right scrappy disregard for genre conventions. Reagan, in his third best vehicle (behind King's Row and The Killers), plays George Gipp, the Fighting Irish's first All- American, who died of pneumonia in 1920; the always-reliable Pat O'Brien plays Notre Dame coach Rockne as a living, breathing icon--part father confessor, part Patton, part idealized father figure. Before he spurs the lads to victory, he changes the face of the sport--by inventing the forward pass, no less. --Glenn Lovell ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Patrick O'Brien asks the Irish to win one for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan might have gotten the nickname of the "Gipper" from this 1940 bio-pic of legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, but it was veteran character actor Pat O'Brien who had the role of a lifetime in the lead. James Cagney had lobbied hard for the role, but when the actor signed a petition supporting the Republican (and anti-Catholic) government in the Spanish Civil War, Notre Dame refused to okay him for the part. This was the first of only two movies ever filmed on the campus in South Bend, and if you do know that the other one was "Rudy" you should at least have been able to guess it had to be that one.

"Knute Rockne All American", which was added to the National Film Registry in 1997, is a fairly standard bio-pic, evincing the almost documentary style that was standard at the time. We see how the young Rockne (played by Johnny Sheffield, a.k.a. Boy in the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies) learned to love football, revolutionized the game with the forward pass, and coached his alma mater to glory with the Four Horsemen and George Gipp. The result is a long series of episodes from Rockne's life that have varying degrees of appeal, such as when he picks up the idea for his backfield shift from watching chorus girls dance and experiments with the idea using his wife and their dinner guests.

Lots of footage of actual Notre Dame games are worked into the film, although I have no way of knowing if any of it is of the actual games being portrayed (I would be curious to know). O'Brien's performance seems a tad wooden, but if you have ever seen actual film clips of Rockne you know he is in the ballpark. A lot of the charm of this film comes from the ethos of the original Rockne, an American legend who was probably the first famous victim of an airplane crash. The result is not great, but certainly compelling (plus we all learn the correct pronunciation of his name as being Ka-Nute).

Reagan's supporting role is deservedly memorable. That same year he would get to play third banana George Armstrong Custer to Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland in "The Santa Fe Trail" and would provide his best performance in "King's Row" before military service in World War II effectively derailed his acting momentum and ultimately set his life on a different path.

Final Note: While there is little doubt that Rockne invented the forward pass, there is debate over one aspect of this film. In his first scene as George Gipp, Reagan is sitting around doing nothing when Rockne orders him to go in at halfback to play against the varsity and run the ball. Gipp asks "How far?" and proceeds to run it back all the way. After crossing the goal line he bounces the ball off the endzone, instead of laying it down for the "touchdown." An argument has been made that this was the first spike in the history of football. At least it is the first "recorded" spike. Did the current tradition of choreographed celebrations all stem from what Ronald Reagan did in this 1940 film? You decide if that is yet another part of the Reagan legacy that is being reconsidered this week.

Pat O'Brien asks Notre Dame to win one for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan might have gotten the nickname of the "Gipper" from this 1940 bio-pic of legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, but it was veteran character actor Pat O'Brien who had the role of a lifetime in the lead. James Cagney had lobbied hard for the role, but when the actor signed a petition supporting the Repbulican (and anti-Catholic) government in the Spanish Civil War, Notre Dame refused to okay him for the part. This was the first of only two movies ever filmed on the campus in South Bend, and if you do know that the other one was "Rudy" you should at least have been able to guess.

This film, which was added to the National Film Registry in 1997, is a fairly standard bio-pic, evincing the almost documentary style that was standard at the time. We see how the young Rockne (played by Johnny Sheffield, a.k.a. Boy in the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies) learned to love football, revolutionized the game with the forward pass, and coached his alma mater to glory with the Four Horsemen and George Gipp. The result is a long series of episodes from Rockne's life that have varying degrees of appeal, such as when he picks up the idea for his backfield shift from watching chorus girls dance and experiments with the idea using his wife and their dinner guests. Lots of footage of actual Notre Dame games are worked into the film, although I have no way of knowing if any of it is of the actual games being portrayed (I would be curious to know). O'Brien's performance seems a tad wooden, but if you have ever seen actual film clips of Rockne you know he is in the ballpark. A lot of the charm of this film comes from the ethos of the original Rockne, an American legend who was probably the first famous victim of an airplane crash. The result is not great, but certainly compelling (plus we all learn the correct pronunciation of his name as being Ka-Nute).

Reagan's supporting role is deservedly memorable. That same year he would get to play third banana George Armstrong Custer to Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland in "The Santa Fe Trail" and would provide his best performance in "King's Row" before military service in World War II effectively derailed his acting momentum. Final Note: While there is little doubt that Rockne invented the forward pass, there is debate over one aspect of this film. In his first scene as George Gipp, Reagan is sitting around doing nothing when Rockne orders him to go in at halfback to play against the varsity and run the ball. Gipp asks "How far?" and proceeds to run it back all the way. After crossing the goal line he bounces the ball off the endzone, instead of laying it down for the "touchdown." An argument has been made that this was the first spike in the history of football. At least it is the first "recorded" spike. Did the current tradition of choreographed celebrations all stem from what Ronald Reagan did in this 1940 film? You decide.

The Best
This is one of my favorite movies. It is the story of the greatest football coach of all time from Norway to the tragic plane crash.

A worthy addition to any classic film library
I think the true testament to this movie's appeal is that it is still watchable after more than 60 years to both hard-core football fans and those(me)who can't tell a bunt from a punt.

"Knute Rockne, All American" is based on the life of one of Notre Dame University's most ingenious and beloved coaches. The movie follows Rockne's early beginnings from his family's emigration to America, to his days as a Notre Dame student,his career as coach, and his tragic demise.

It's an inspiring movie tribute about football's evolution and Notre Dame's struggle to establish itself out of mid-western obscurity; but it is primarily about a man. A man who was a mentor to the many he coached and a revolutionary of the sport of football. By the end of the movie I came to have a deep respect for Knute Rockne as a man of intellect, passion and integrity.

Pat O'Brien does a stirring portrayal of Rockne. My one complaint regarding his performance is that he is too mature-looking to portray Rockne during his early years and perhaps they should have had another actor for those scenes.

Another little gem is seeing a young Ronald Reagan as the ill-fated George Gipp. His deathbed scene is one of the most touching moments in the whole movie.

I found the action sequences a little boring and homogenous, (perhaps followers of football will feel differently) but it does not distract from the rest of the movie. My only other complaint is the soundtrack, which seems to consist of the Notre Dame fight song played over and over again in 115 different renditions.

It's worth noting that although the cover is colorized the movie is in black and white.

Winning One For Football
Here's a truly old-fashioned movie that is very corny, but watchable. Pat O'Brien plays the title role with a lot of heart and reverence. Reagan appears briefly as "The Gipper" and I don't think he registers as well as some people remember. The movie gives you a lot of information about the early game of football and it gives you a good sense of what Rockne was like. But it really is corny. It's worth seeing, if only for the "win one for the Gipper" scenes. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Pleasant Surprise
FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK is a movie about an investment banker who writes mystery novels as a sideline. While doing research for his books he becomes involved with real crime as an amateur sleuth.

Errol Flynn plays the light-hearted detective. Brenda Marshall is his loving wife and the rest of the cast includes Ralph Bellamy, William Frawley, Lee Patrick and Grant Mitchell.

FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK is a pleasant surprise for a low budget movie. The director is Lloyd Bacon who directed MOBY DICK starring John Barrymore in 1930. He also directed the musical 42ND STREET with the assistance of Busby Berkeley in 1933.

Errol In A Suit
Errol Flynn stars as a successful business man with a secret. Although the world thinks he's just an investment counselor, he is also a controversial best selling writer of mysteries using a pen name. His interest in mysteries as he tries to solve a jewel robbery/murder case threatens to expose his double life. It's kind of odd to see Flynn in suits and modern clothing after years of watching him in period action pieces. He does an acceptable job in the role, although the Texan accent he assumes in some scenes is really poor. But the script never allows him or the rest of the cast to develop their characters - they're cut-outs going through the motions. Flynn has little chemistry with Brenda Marshall as his wife, and Lee Patrick is badly miscast as a burlesque queen. Even reliable Allen Jenkins, one of my favourite character actors, hardly makes an impression. The film tries to be a comedy mystery, but the comedy is barely evident and the mystery hardly engrossing. The set up of the film holds lots of promise. But neither the director or the writers deliver on that promise.

So-so screwball mystery flick
An awkward parody of the "Thin Man" movies, with Errol Flynn trying out screwball comedy for a change... The set-up is that Flynn is a rich playboy who, unbeknownst to family and friends, moonlights as a writer of detective fiction. This, of course, necessitates his staying out late to do research into crime, and telling all kinds of lame fibs to his wife and shrewish mother-in-law, in order to cover his tracks. Misunderstandings and wackiness ensue. William Frawley plays the dumb cop Flynn loves to torment; Ralph Bellamy and other great character actors pop up as well. Mysteriously, the actress playing "the other woman" is completely unattractive: couldn't they have gotten a real starlet for the part? Guess not. Anyway, this is a pretty weak film, and doesn't really even work as a curio.

Flynn with a Texas drawl!
Forgotten and forgettable comedy swashbuckler Errol Flynn attempted to extend his range in at the height of his stardom--and which would eventually prove harmful to his career when he was cast in similarly mediocre vehicles once his star faded. In this improbable and inane vehicle the dashing and devastatingly handsome Flynn stars as Francis Warren III, an extremely wealthy and happily married investment counsel who secretly writes mystery novels under a pen name. He gets embroiled in a real-life murder mystery when a mysterious gem merchant shows up at his office one day and later turns up dead. To the authorities it looks like natural causes brought on by alcohol consumption, but Francis thinks not and decides to do some investigating of his own. Along the way he meets up with the dead man's mistress, a blond burlesque queen named, appropriately enough, Blondie White (Lee Patrick, terribly miscast since she looks about 15 years too old and not good-looking enough for the role), and Dr. Davis, a mad-under-the-surface dentist (Ralph Bellamy in an effective departure from his usual folksy nice-guy roles). Brenda Marshall plays Francis' wife Rita, who soon becomes jealous and bewildered at his suspicious behavior, which includes, among other things, sneaking in their bedroom window with a ladder during the wee hours and making up wild stories to cover up his double life as writer/investigator. The only saving grace in this movie is Marshall's ravishing brunette beauty and Flynn's pleasant and adept comic flair, which almost but not quite makes up for this lukewarm comedy with forced gags and weak situations and, believe it or not, Flynn's ridiculous intonation of a Texas accent--even in his Westerns he talked in his normal British-y voice (even though he's an Aussie), and though it might have seemed inappropriate, it's a good thing he did since the drawl he displays in thsi film woulda turned his Westerns into comedies and had 'em rolling in the aisles! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Cheating? Who's cheating? When an egghead chemistry professor (Ray Milland) stumbles upon a formula for making baseballs resistant to the touch of wood, he sneaks a little onto a pitcher's glove and for a time has a career throwing from a major league mound. Set aside ethical concerns: this light comedy is in an Absent-Minded Professor mold, with balls clownishly, impossibly dancing around the swing of batters. (Besides that, the climax requires an act of minor heroism on the prof's part when the magic suddenly isn't there.) Directed by Lloyd Bacon (42nd Street), the movie is a lot of fun for all ages and proves that you can make kids hysterical with silly action without wrapping a stupid, crude story around it. With Ed Begley, Alan Hale Jr., and Paul Douglas. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Absent Minded Pitcher
Any fan of classic comedy movies like the "Absent-Minded Professor" will enjoy this movie. The original "Angels in the Outfield" was a classic that lead to a remake. Surprisingly they haven't remade this one, it is a great movie too. Good cast, story, and direction make this fun for the whole family. When a professor comes up with a material from his lab that causes a baseball to avoid wood bats the results are hysterical.

Ray Miland, and the rest the cast give good performances. Ray Milland typically did serious roles like his award winning "Lost Weekend", but he does a fine job in this slightly zany comedy. I am sorry to see this is out of print and the scalpers here want your first born to buy it. We can only hope the studio puts this out on DVD soon. Until then I will keep a sharp eye out for it being televised. Great movie or not I'm not paying thirty-five plus dollars for a VHS tape.

PLAY BALL...!!
Even if you're not a big baseball fan, this good-natured comedy should still grab you. Ray Milland stars as a mild-mannered, but all-American college professor who has a secret passion for baseball, and gets a little nutty every Spring, when the season starts up. His twin passions -- baseball and chemistry -- collide when he accidentally invents a substance that repels wood... just the thing to use if you want to become a major-league pitching star overnight, and rake in the big bucks when every pitcher you come up against gets dusted when you use the super goo.

What's weird about this Truman-era film is that Milland is never confronted as being a fraud or a cheat, even though he's obviously behaving unethically and taking unfair advantage of friends and foes alike. He's worried about getting caught by his fiancee (the reason he's trying to raise the money is so he can settle down with her), but when he becomes a national sensation, everybody jumps on the bandwagon and becomes a fan, including her sports-hating father, the campus dean. But nobody ever ever discovers his secret and delivers a big lecture telling him it's not right to cheat, etc. etc., and Milland makes it through the season with his fraud undetected. Setting ethics aside, the screwball elements of this film are quite enjoyable, and even if you're not a big sports buff (I'm sure not) it's a lot of fun. Recommended!

HILARIOUS BASEBALL COMEDY.
Ray Milland was a rather underrated actor who was equally adept at comedies as he was in dramas. Here, Milland shines as a professional scientist-turned-baseball-wizard in a side-spitting comedy that has since become a minor classic. Valentine Davies, who wrote the marvelous script for MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, came up with another winner here. Ray is a mild-mannered chemistry professor in love with the lovely Jean Peters. Milland's meager salary won't suffice in supporting her however, and he keeps putting off marriage. While developing a bug repellant for trees, he invents a solution that repels any kind of wood it comes in contact with. Being an avid baseball fan, Milland concocts a clever scheme to earn additional money...There are many hilarious moments in this little gem, such as Paul Douglas mistaking the solution for hair tonic - his hair does the St. Vitus dance when he uses a wooden brush to comb it! The hilarious scenes in the baseball fields are terrific because the special effects appear completely natural.

Excellent Comedic Baseball Movie
Any baseball fan will love the humor in this baseball yarn about a professor who develops a "potion" that when applied to the ball repels wood (bats). A true diamond gem !!

and it's contagious
Vernon Simpson (Ray Milland) is a graduate student at a Midwestern university with two seemingly unrelated problems in his life. The first is that he hasn't completed his doctorate in chemistry yet and so isn't qualified for any of the positions, in the academy or in business, that would enable him to marry and support his girlfriend, Deborah Greenleaf (Jean Peters), who just happens to be the dean's daughter. The second is that starting in April and lasting into October he becomes oddly preoccupied and suffers from a strange tendency toward absent-mindedness--it happens every spring. That span of months, of course, coincides with baseball season and Vernon, it turns out, is a die-hard fan of the St. Louis club, which just needs pitching help this season in order to be a contender. So even as Vernon struggles to make his experiments work and to finish his thesis, he hangs on every pitch of every game, oblivious to all around him, including his students and Deborah.

But then the hand of fate intervenes and solves all of Vernon's problems--well, kinda. A baseball comes flying in through his laboratory window from the nearby practice field and, though it irreparably damages all his hard work, it quite accidentally creates an entirely new and uniquely valuable formula. This remarkable substance, of which Vernon is only able to salvage one panfull, makes the baseball that landed in it avoid wood. The next morning Vernon tests his discovery on the practice field and finds that his pitches are indeed unhittable (note that his batting practice catcher is Alan Hale, Jr.--The Skipper), swerving around and hopping over the wooden bats.

Hastily asking a leave of absence from Dean Greenleaf, Vernon hops a train to St. Louis and presents himself to the club's incredulous manager and the initially hostile owner demanding $1,000 for each of the thirty wins he guarantees. Soon Vernon, calling himself King Kelly so that Deborah's sports-hating father won't know how he's earning a living, is pitching St. Louis to victory after victory. Veteran catcher Monk Lanigan (Paul Douglas) is put in charge of the flaky but valuable phenom and together they lead the team to the World Series.

Entirely predictable zaniness follows every step of the way, but it's all great fun. Milland is surprisingly daffy and Paul Douglas is great. The special effects are joyously primitive. The fact that Vernon is cheating is a little disturbing--though a strangely common theme of baseball movies from Angels in the Outfield to Damn Yankees to The Natural--but in the end he is inevitably required to rely on himself, rather than weird science. It remains inexplicable that even a minor baseball movie like this one can be so engaging and entertaining, while other sports (with the exception of boxing) produce almost no good movies. I've no more explanation for this phenomenon than Vernon evers offers for his formula, but this film proves it true once again. Watch it every spring.

GRADE : B ... Read more

Reviews (7)

3.5 maybe
Lucille Ball stars as an inept secretary who is hired to work as the receptionist at a crooked real estate company -- this gal's so dumb she couldn't possibly figure out what the real racket is, think the thugs. However, her character has hidden talents, not the least of which is the ability to win a man's heart. (The man in question being William Holden, who's running the bookie joint behind closed doors.) A slight, but enjoyable screwball comedy.

Wm. Holden in Lucille Ball's funniest pre-I Love Lucy movie
If you were wondering why big Hollywood star William Holden showed up on a classic episode of "I Love Lucy," the answer would be this 1949 film. Lucille Ball plays secretary Ellen Grant, who is hired by a bookie gang headed by Dick Richmond, played by Holden, with the Civil War serving to set up the cute title. Miss Grant is supposedly less than bright and so the idea is she will serve as an innocent front for their real-estate office, while the real business happens in the back. The problem is that Miss Grant is not as dumb as she looks and she becomes quite concerned about the homeless. The next thing Dick knows he is promoting a low-cost housing project. Of course Dick and his cronies play with the books and steal all the money, leaving Miss Grant to take the rap. This farce is a perfect vehicle for Lucy and Holden, who had been making mostly westerns, shows he can do light comedy. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, a lot of the credit for "Miss Grant Takes Richmond" belongs to the writers, Nat Perrin, Devery Freeman and Frank Tashman who keep everybody loaded with crisp dialogue and flip remarks. Lucy also has some physical comedy gags involving construction equipment and mud. This might not be a great comedy but I certainly do not see much wrong with it.

Lucy at her best!
Once again Lucy shows her expertise in comedy. The way she portrays herself as a student trying to get a diploma cracks us up. I think she was great .

Lucy did it again
Lot's of laughs and love in this particular Lucille Ball film. I think Lucy took the movie by 5/10 , meaning she stole the movie from the begining. With her smart talks and crazy ideas she did it again. I have never seen a Lucille Ball movie I did not like. In "Miss Grant takes Richmond" she takes the job of beauty, good looks, but no brains for the front desk of the Richmond Realty. With her the Richmond Realty will no longer have the cops to worry about. But the help of Miss. Grant. I recomend this movie to any Lucille Ball fan, and to a great evening of big laughs and more laughs.

BILL AND LUCY
The lives and livelihoods of a group of bookies are shaken up by a silly secretary in this underworld farce. Using a real estate front to cloak their illegal affairs, the bookies hire receptionist Ellen Grant to complete their "respectable" facade......Eventually, Ellen wisens up (much to their surprise and chagrin) to the tailor-suited sharks swimming around her! A charming, literate comedy which foreshadowed Ball's talents to amuse. As Holden's seemingly ditzy secretary, Lucy turns out not to be so dumb after all. The plot is clever and the Ball/Holden team is a winner. Janis Carter, James Gleason, and old Warner Bros. standby Frank McHugh deliver delicious performances. This period was when Lucille Ball was going thru a transformation in her largely unrewarding career as "Queen of the B's". At 38, Lucy had appeared in dozens of roles, but little of much consequence. A critic - whose name escapes me at the moment - once stated about La Ball in the forties "She's a giant in a jungle of pygmies; nobody understands her talent". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey star in a unique film that shows whatconvoy duty was like for the Merchant Marine in World War II. When their tanker is torpedoed by a German U-boat, Bogart and Massey take command of a Liberty Ship, and their convoy must play cat and mouse with a German wolf pack. While clearly shown in a bad light, the Germans are not heavily demonized, which was unusual for a patriotic war film of the time (1943). Another unusual choice was having the Germans speaking only in their native language, with no subtitles. This realism helps carry any dated elements, especially when combined with the accurate depiction of convoy techniques and battle tactics (the footage was later used for actual training purposes). Even jaded viewers will be on pins and needles when the convoy is attacked, and they hear the repeated German command of "Torpedo... LOS!" --Mark Savary ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Learning the Truth of the US Merchant Marine in WWII
Most people today don't reliaze the great number of Merchant Marines that lost their lives during WWII as so wecould today have our freedom. There were more Merchant Seamen killed (in comparison to the number each service branch had) then any of the other armed forces. A gun on the stem and the stern can't do a lot against a German Sub! A real salute to Warner Brothers for making a movie that really lets a naive person see what it was like. Everything from the USMM enlisting posters hanging in the tavern to shipboard words like "how about that night-lunch"in this movie is presented true. For men like myself who take pride in the time we sailed the vast oceans of the world as part of our Merchant Marine this movie really can make us proud ! note: Raymond Massey was outstanding as the Old Man, He reminded me of a Captain Brown that I sailed under some 30+ years ago.
This movie is even better then the 5 star rating ,it is a real piece of American Maritime History! "ENJOY"

Tells a GREAT story!!!!
Humphrey Bogart was excellent as the executive officer aboard a "Liberty Ship". This tells the story of a much forgotten service: the Merchant Marine. It shows the courage and commitment these professional sailors had to face down German U-boats and Raiders. These were the men that made sure that the needed war supplies got there intact. If you enjoy movies about WWII especially ones that were made during the war itself (like this one) then this is a MUST SEE.

Great film about underappreciated heroes of WWII
They didn't sail powerful destroyers or fill the skies with waves of carrier-borne fighters, but the men of the US Merchant Marine nevertheless fought and won the second world war's most crucial and consistently bloody battles - the Battle of the Atlantic. This excellent film follows the travails of a merchantman bound for Russia's arctic port of Murmansk with a cargo of materials the Russians need to keep the Germans pegged on the eastern front. Through the war, American convoys sailed mass-built "Liberty Ships" through waters teeming with German planes, cruisers and U-Boats to keep both England and Russia properly equipped. While tides of war may have shifted thruought the war, allied convoys faced constant attacks by axis units until the end, relying mainly on their ability to absorb severe casualties.

This film is fiction and, produced during the war (1943) has the hallmarks of a propaganda film. But "Action" is so much more - with winning performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ray Massey, and a fine supporting crew that sounds like they may have actually sailed the dreaded "Murmansk Run". The special effects are astoundingly good for 1943 and hold up pretty well today. The Germans are perfect as skilled hunters - I still get a chill during the battle scenes when whole crews utter "torpedo - los!" - not quite dehumanized, but still fearsome. Crisp direction makes their untranslated lines the best case against sub-titles. In short, a great film.

Recognition to the Men of the Maritime Service
This great sea tale staring Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey is a good patriotic homage to the World War II sailors of the maritime service. Dane Clark as seamen Johnny Pulaski is a standout. Clark's acting deserved more recognition than he ever got. Alan Hale is also on board. Lloyd Bacon's direction is somewhat pedestrian but Producer Jerry Wald's fine production values, good action sequences and Adolph Deutsch's score compensate a lot.

A screen salute to the Merchant Marine in World War II
Individual freights and convoys battling German U-boats and fighter planes to keep open the lifeline of the Allied war effort make "Action in the North Atlantic" one of the better World War II action films. The 1943 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, is also rather unique because it focuses on the Merchant Marine instead of the Navy. Raymond Massey is Captain Steve Jarvis, while Humphrey Bogart plays his First Officer, Lieutenant Joe Rossi and Alan Hale is good old Boots O'Hara. The movie begins with the boys adrift for 11 days at sea after their tanker is sunk. After they are rescued they are assigned to the Liberty ship "Sea Witch," part of a great convoy bound from Halifax to Murmansk. After a German sub attack, the ship is separated from what is left of the convoy and has to make it to port. The action matters more than the acting in this film, although Ruth Gordon's performance as Mrs. Jarvis certainly stands out. Bogart's part is a bit overblown, but that is understandable in the wake of "Casablanca." Guy Gilpatric received an Best Writing Oscar nomination in 1944 for his Original Story, which, interestingly enough, is a separate category from teh screenplay written by John Howard Larson. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

An American family sends its five boys off to World War II
"The Fighting Sullivans" is the true story of five brothers who died together when their Navy ship, the Juneau, was sunk in the South Pacific during World War II. But only the last act of this 1944 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, shows the Sullivans at war. Most of this film is pure Americana, following the lives of the boys from their childhood in Waterloo, Iowa. Thomas Mitchell and the marvelous Selena Royle are the loving parents, while the five boys are played by unknown actors: Edward Ryan (Al), John Campbell (Frank), James Cardwell (George), John Alvin (Matt), and George Offerman (Joe). Trudy Marshall plays their only sister, Genevieve. Top billing actually goes to Anne Baxter as the young girl who marries into the family and will be left a widow with a baby in arms. Ward Bond plays the Navy lieutenant who befriends the family when the Sullivans insist that they will only join up if they can serve together. Eventually the Navy relents and the boys get their wish.

Audiences knew the tragic fate of the Sullivans, although the film was originally released as "The Sullivans" and pretty much bombed at the box office. Retitled "The Fighting Sullivans" and re-released, it became a smash hit. The use of unknown actors made the film all the more effective, especially since it refrained from the sort of cliches you would expect. If the scene where the parents learn all five boys have died does not get you, the next scene will: Mr. Sullivan goes off to his job on the railroad and as the train passes the water tower where his boys waved to him as kids, he salutes them. Actually, this film works so well that the final shot, of the Sullivans in uniform striding across the clouds of the afterlife does not seem one whit hokey. There is a documentary available on the Sullivans, which tells how one of the boys survived the sinking before dying in the waters off of Guadacanal. I would not have thought anything could have made this story more tragic, but that bit of information certainly made it worse for me.

True story of 5 brothers who fought & died together in WWII
"The Fighting Sullivans" is a moving tribute and true story of five brothers who served together on the same ship in WWII. The story begins with the birth of each child (including one daughter) and then continues on showing the close and loving relationships in the family through the years. There's one great scene where the father (Thomas Mitchell, who was Scarlet's father in "Gone With the Wind) teaches some of the sons a lesson about smoking -- very funny! One of the sons marries prior to the war and the movie shows some good old-fashioned "courting" (kids today should see what courting is all about!). This is a great movie for the whole family to see (as most movies were back then) with great examples of family togetherness, wholesome values, and the willingness of honorable men to do what is right even if this means that they must "pay the price" as well. Even my daughters, when they were young girls, loved this movie and still quote the line of the brother who tells his family of the girl he wants them to meet and adds, "She's swell!" This would be a great movie to see any time, but especially on Memorial Day or Veterans Day when we remember those who served and gave their all to protect and defend the United States of America.

First step in an interesting American story
The movie makes up for what it lacks in historic facts with it's ability to show the family as they truly were- a close-knit, hard-working Irish American family. The movie is an excellent example of 1940's American war-time propaganda, but is an excellent starting off point for learning more about the Sullivan's story, about their lives,their deaths, and their family, which continues to this day to carry on the legacy of the Sullivan brothers.

Today, the USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) is commissioned United States destroyer working hard to protect the country. The crew is well aware of the brother's story and the ship's motto is taken directly from one of the brother's upon joining the navy as a group- "We Stick Together". Watch the movie, and keep in mind the sailors who are out there today risking their lives in much the same way the Sullivan Brothers did 60 years ago.

Always been a favorite
I saw this movie years ago with my grandmother, and I hadn't seen it in years. Naturally, I wanted to see it again. It begins as the story of a close-knit family growing up. It follows them right into WWII into their untimely demise. A true tear-jerker...and a classic that ranks up there with "It's a Wonderful Life."

Excellent
This movie is great. I first saw it as a kid about 15 years ago, & fell in love with it immeadiately. Even then it made me cry. Everyone should see this movie about 5 brothers who make the ultimate sacrifice. They are mentioned in Saving Private Ryan, but its' a shame that more people don't know about the Sullivan Brothers. ... Read more

Description

Bandit hero of the Southwest; the Oklahoma Kid defends new pioneers in Territory of 1892, from gang of lawless gamblers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Essentially, a gangster film in a western setting
I like The Oklahoma Kid, mainly because it features 2 of my favorite actors, Cagney and Bogart. It's also an entertaining B-Western picture from Warner Brothers. Don't expect anything profound. Bogart is not nearly as good as he is the John Huston's 1948 masterpeice, Treasure of the Sierra Madre. James Cagney is not nearly as good as he is in Raoul Walsh's 1949 masterpeice, White Heat. However, The Oklahoma Kid is a fun western film, one of my favorite guilty pleasures. A good way to kill 80 minutes. Check it out. ***1/2 (of *****), too bad Amazon doesn't use half-star intervals, huh?

The Gangsters Out West
An unlikely James Cagney stars as the Oklahoma Kid, a gunman wanted by the law, who gets mixed up in the fight against the corruption of the newly settled and built Tulsa. Humphrey Bogart (with the great character name of "Whip McCord") has taken over the town, and when the citizens start trying to reclaim their town, Cagney gets drawn into the fight for personal reasons. Unfortunately, as big a fan as I am of Cagney, it's very hard to swallow him as a horseriding gunman. He puts in a good effort at it and seems to be enjoying himself, but he just doesn't fit into the Old West. Of course, Bogart doesn't fit in either. Dressed all in black (a not-so-subtle message about his character), he sneers his way through the film. Rosemary Lane as the love interest doesn't bring much to the character or film, while Donald Crisp as her father and town judge is solid as usual. There's plenty of action and shooting, and there was some potential with the story, but this film isn't much more than a miscast, routine Western. Nonetheless, it's worth a look to see gangsters out West.

The Western That Makes You Laugh
Why would "The Oklahoma Kid" make you laugh? In the first place, as the reviewers said at the time, Cagney went at this role with a grand sense of humor and sparked every scene with something extra to watch for. He and Bogart did their best with what they had to work with and the result is campy western something-or-other. Bogart, dressed in black, does some of his best craven sneering. Cagney, who Bogart said later looked like a mushroom in his 10-gallon hat, looks like he trying hard not to laugh as he gaily goes about the business of revenging his father's death at the hands of Bogart's henchmen. Bogart has the funniest line in the film - and maybe the funniest line he ever uttered in a film: As he sends one of his cowboy goons (played with smiling diffidence by veteran Ward Bond) to bring Cagney to him, he says, "Tell that little squirt over by the piano that I want to see him." Watch carefully and see if Bogart can keep a straight face! Cagney, known as the premiere movie tough guy, knew that he could also look cute in a movie. In this, as in "The Strawberry Blonde, " he cute as a button - a button mushroom!

Bogart as a Cowboy?
Cagney and Bogart as Cowboys is something to behold. Bogart was right Cagney does look like a Mushroom. If you saw the movie in the late thirties,it was fun, however it does'nt hold up that well into the nineties. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Highly Unusual Blend of Gangster Tale and Sentiment
"Brother Orchid", has always been a film I have greatly enjoyed on a number of different levels. It is one of the few attempts by Warner Brothers, who made the Gangster genre their own in the 1930's, to show another side to such a story so here we get a most unusual combination of hard nosed story telling typical of Warners, alongside a sentimental and quite comical story detailing one conman's search for "class" and "style" in his world.

"Brother Orchid", provided Edward G. Robinson with one of his most appealing roles as Little Johnny Sarto a big time racketeer who grows tired of the gangland goings on he has presided over for too long, and tries to quit the scene to pursue his quest for real class and refinement in life. After an abortive trip to Europe Johnny finds his old haunts and collegues are no longer welcoming and soon he finds himself pursued by ruthless thug and former employee Jack Buck (Humphrey Bogart in one of his last bad guy supporting roles before his real stardom kicked in the next year). Supposedly set up with a reconciliation meeting with Jack by his kind hearted girlfriend "Flo" Adams (Ann Sothern in a delightful performance) Johnny finds himself a marked man and narrowly escapes being murdered after Jack's boys take him out into the woods to finish him off. Escaping wounded Johnny finds his way to a secluded Monastery where he is taken in by the kindly monks and brought back to health. Along the way Johnny learns a few things about life and what he regarded as initially an ideal hideout till he could plot his revenge against Jack turns into a life changing experience and the one time hood becomes the placid life appreciating "Brother Orchid". Despite the chance of reclaiming his turf Johnny sees that Flo really deserves better than what he can offer and steps aside so that she can marry the decent but dull farmer Clarence P. Fletcher who worships the ground Flo walks on. With that done Johnny returns to the monastery where he at last finds the real "class" in life, not in posessions or money but in the company of decent, honest men who have their own class simply by who and what they are not what they can get.

A highly improbable story perhaps but done in such an expert way and delivered with such sincerity by the cast that one can't help but believe what is going on. What was originally viewed as merely a "fill in" project for Edward G. Robinson so that he could then move on to the lead role in "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet" turned into a smashing success and his most successful film for a couple of years. The story really reveals Robinson's great abilities in both comedy and hard edged drama. His transformation from hard boiled racketeer to endearing orchid growing monk is a delight to behold and never once do we doubt the sincerity of his playing. It is very interesting to see Humphrey Bogart performing his small time hood role again which was a character that he had played countless times during his 1930's apprenticeship with Warner Brothers. He is in turn tough and mean and provides most of the dramatic side to this unusual tale. Veteran character actress Ann Sothern is terrific as the typical gangsters moll with the heart of gold and she proves once and for all what a fine actress she could be given a role with some dimension. Her drunk scene when she tries to get Johnny to come to "Fat Dutchy's" Tavern to meet Jack is priceless. Veteran character actor Donald Crisp has a superb role as Brother Superior who takes the wounded Johnny into his monastery and heals him physically and morally as well. Most of the beautiful sentiment in the story of "Brother Orchid" comes from Donald Crisp's playing of the patient, saintly, but still world wise head of the monastic order who points out the errors of Johnny's views on life and people. A superb actor in many fine films Crisp is in his element in this comical and heart warming tale of one man's redemption.

It is really hard to place "Brother Orchid", is any one film category, part comedy, part redemption tale, part crime saga, it is an odd mixture of many different kinds of films we are used to seeing. I feel it is this odd mix which makes the film so appealing and all the very different types of acting styles and personas also make it a unique viewing experience. To see acting greats like Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sothern and Donald Crisp in the one film makes me lament the lack of this kind of star power in modern film stories. All had their own set screen personas which they lovingly spoofed in "Brother Orchid". For an uplifting viewing experience from Warner Brother's golden period of film making you are certain to enjoy Edward G. Robinson is one of his more off beat roles as "Brother Orchid".

The Real Class
Edward G. Robinson's versatility is on full display in his memorable comic performance as a gangster in search of "class" who is forced to hide out in a monastery. Plenty of great lines and wonderful character actors abound. Ralph Bellamy's bird-calling scene is priceless.

Bogie & Edward G- it doesnt get any better
This is the ultimate story of a bad guy gone good and hollywood actually made a great story and film here. The usual 1930's style gangsters Bogie and Robinson give their usual GREAT performaces in the mob roles. Robinson wants to get out and actually ends up becoming a brother "monk or priest". Great comedy one liners and a overall picture worth owning if you love the classics like i do. this is a great story for the whole family. They dont make movies like this anymore you end with a feel good feeling and motivated when you get the racket of "nice guys"

Fish Out Of Water
Edward G. Robinson stars as gangster Little John Sarto, a man fed up with the racket who travels across Europe in the hopes of finding class. When he returns, he finds his gang in the hands of Humphrey Bogart, his girlfriend Ann Sothern newly wealthy, and himself penniless and still without class. He tries to get back into his old life, but it proves to be harder than expected, and he ends up hiding out in a monastery of all places! Brother Orchid came at the end of the cycle of gangster films at Warner Brothers. It's a hard film to classify - it's part gangster film, part comedy, and also a character study of a man's moral awakening. Surprisingly, these diverse elements come together well in the film. The plot is unbelievable, but Robinson fits into the role well, bringing a history to the character through all of his other gangster performances, and also bringing his talent for broad comedy that was not seen often enough. Sothern is terrific as his patient fiancee, while Bogart doesn't register much as the cardboard bad guy. Allen Jenkins, one of Warner Brothers best character actors, has some funny moments as Robinson's loyal henchman. Director Lloyd Bacon keeps the film moving right along, and although this fish-out-of-water story may sound too farfetched, its heart is in the right place and it's fun to watch.

Delightful comedy; E.G.R. at his best!
Edward G. Robinson proves once again that he was first-rate at both drama and comedy, in this delightful film about a gangster boss who is almost rubbed out by rivals, but is nursed back to health by the monks at a nearby monastery. His fondness for orchids gives him the name of Brother Orchid and he ultimately chooses the right lifestyle, of course. But there are plenty of amusing complications along the way. The supporting cast members (Ann Sothern, Humphrey Bogart, Donald Crisp) are all excellent. Director Lloyd Bacon was undoubtedly one of the best, but least heralded, Hollywood directors of the 30s and 40s. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Learning the Truth of the US Merchant Marine in WWII
Most people today don't reliaze the great number of Merchant Marines that lost their lives during WWII as so wecould today have our freedom. There were more Merchant Seamen killed (in comparison to the number each service branch had) then any of the other armed forces. A gun on the stem and the stern can't do a lot against a German Sub! A real salute to Warner Brothers for making a movie that really lets a naive person see what it was like. Everything from the USMM enlisting posters hanging in the tavern to shipboard words like "how about that night-lunch"in this movie is presented true. For men like myself who take pride in the time we sailed the vast oceans of the world as part of our Merchant Marine this movie really can make us proud ! note: Raymond Massey was outstanding as the Old Man, He reminded me of a Captain Brown that I sailed under some 30+ years ago.
This movie is even better then the 5 star rating ,it is a real piece of American Maritime History! "ENJOY"

Tells a GREAT story!!!!
Humphrey Bogart was excellent as the executive officer aboard a "Liberty Ship". This tells the story of a much forgotten service: the Merchant Marine. It shows the courage and commitment these professional sailors had to face down German U-boats and Raiders. These were the men that made sure that the needed war supplies got there intact. If you enjoy movies about WWII especially ones that were made during the war itself (like this one) then this is a MUST SEE.

Great film about underappreciated heroes of WWII
They didn't sail powerful destroyers or fill the skies with waves of carrier-borne fighters, but the men of the US Merchant Marine nevertheless fought and won the second world war's most crucial and consistently bloody battles - the Battle of the Atlantic. This excellent film follows the travails of a merchantman bound for Russia's arctic port of Murmansk with a cargo of materials the Russians need to keep the Germans pegged on the eastern front. Through the war, American convoys sailed mass-built "Liberty Ships" through waters teeming with German planes, cruisers and U-Boats to keep both England and Russia properly equipped. While tides of war may have shifted thruought the war, allied convoys faced constant attacks by axis units until the end, relying mainly on their ability to absorb severe casualties.

This film is fiction and, produced during the war (1943) has the hallmarks of a propaganda film. But "Action" is so much more - with winning performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ray Massey, and a fine supporting crew that sounds like they may have actually sailed the dreaded "Murmansk Run". The special effects are astoundingly good for 1943 and hold up pretty well today. The Germans are perfect as skilled hunters - I still get a chill during the battle scenes when whole crews utter "torpedo - los!" - not quite dehumanized, but still fearsome. Crisp direction makes their untranslated lines the best case against sub-titles. In short, a great film.

Recognition to the Men of the Maritime Service
This great sea tale staring Humphrey Bogart and Raymond Massey is a good patriotic homage to the World War II sailors of the maritime service. Dane Clark as seamen Johnny Pulaski is a standout. Clark's acting deserved more recognition than he ever got. Alan Hale is also on board. Lloyd Bacon's direction is somewhat pedestrian but Producer Jerry Wald's fine production values, good action sequences and Adolph Deutsch's score compensate a lot.

A screen salute to the Merchant Marine in World War II
Individual freights and convoys battling German U-boats and fighter planes to keep open the lifeline of the Allied war effort make "Action in the North Atlantic" one of the better World War II action films. The 1943 film, directed by Lloyd Bacon, is also rather unique because it focuses on the Merchant Marine instead of the Navy. Raymond Massey is Captain Steve Jarvis, while Humphrey Bogart plays his First Officer, Lieutenant Joe Rossi and Alan Hale is good old Boots O'Hara. The movie begins with the boys adrift for 11 days at sea after their tanker is sunk. After they are rescued they are assigned to the Liberty ship "Sea Witch," part of a great convoy bound from Halifax to Murmansk. After a German sub attack, the ship is separated from what is left of the convoy and has to make it to port. The action matters more than the acting in this film, although Ruth Gordon's performance as Mrs. Jarvis certainly stands out. Bogart's part is a bit overblown, but that is understandable in the wake of "Casablanca." Guy Gilpatric received an Best Writing Oscar nomination in 1944 for his Original Story, which, interestingly enough, is a separate category from teh screenplay written by John Howard Larson. ... Read more

Description

Chester Kent produces Musical Comedies on the stage. With the beginning of the talkies aera he changes to producing short musical proluges for movies. But this is stressing him, because he always needs new units and his rival is always stealing his ideas. So he can get an contract with a producer, if he is able to stage in three days three new proluges. In spite of great problems he does it. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Well worth the viewing.
FOOTLIGHT PARADE is the last of the great Warner Brothers musical "trilogy" of 1933 along with 42ND STREET and GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933. In my opinion, it is the best of the series, and grossing in over $700,000 (a staggering amount for depression era films), apparently the viewers of 1933 found it to be a real treat as well.

Chester Kent (James Cagney) is a down-and-out-of-luck stage producer when he finds himself out of a job (ironically, via motion pictures). To make matters worse, his wife leaves him and his agents (Guy Kibbee and Arthur Hohl) don't need him anymore. All of this in the first five minutes of the film!

Kent gets a breakthrough idea: putting on one pre-picture prologue may cost a bundle, but if you tour the country with that one prologue, it will pay for itself practically! Soon, he has an entire establishment including his right hand gal Nan (Joan Blondell), stenographer turned tap dancer Bea Thorne (Ruby Keeler), a singing college romeo Scotty (Dick Powell), a hypochondriac director (Frank McHugh) and a mischievous censor (Hugh Herbert). All of this in the next ten minutes of the film!!

After a while, the company starts to really take off, that is until Kent gets a little competition that steals his ideas. Suddenly, a grand chain deal worth tens of thousands arrives, and three shows to be produced in three days. Add on top of that some romantic interest and you've got a real crowd pleaser. Could anyone else but Warner Brothers pull it off? I think not.

The main numbers in this film, all Al Dubin/Harry Warren or Sammy Fain/Irving Kahal, which means quality. The first couple of numbers ("Ah, The Moon is Here" and "Sittin' On a Backyard Fence") are toe-tappers, but fall a little flat. Busby Berkely's genius direction isn't realized until the final three numbers: "Honeymoon Hotel", a romp through a hotel specializing in newlywed sweets, filled with dozens of scantilly clad women, "By A Waterfall", a kaleidoscopic synchronized swimming number complete with a 50,000 gallon-per-minute waterfall (all on a Broadway stage, I might add) and the real show-stopper, "Shanghai Lil", in which Jimmy Cagney tap-dances the pants off of Ruby Keeler.

The pacing as one might assume from this review is extremely fast, which makes multiple viewing of this film enjoyable. Lloyd Bacon was known well as a director that believed in fast pacing, and this leaves lines filled with pre-code gems that can be picked up on later screenings of the film.

Almost every part is cast perfectly, with some of the best selection being that of Dick Powell as the carooning college boy, aiming for Ruby Keeler's affection (and vice-versa), Frank McHugh as a nervous, cigar chewing director, and Hugh Herbert as a jittery brother of a backer/state censor. Paul Porcasi has a funny role as a theater owner with a chronic case of indigestion. Also look for two cameos by Billy Barty as a mouse in the Kitten number and as a child in the Honeymoon Hotel number.

The quality of Warner's VHS video edition is quite top notch. Film elements are quite good, although a little rough near reel changes, and the Vitaphone soundtrack is also clear and clean, except for the occasional edit marks which can be heard when there is little dialogue or background sound. Since it's in black and white, it's a bit clearer than a color film, and there's no problems that you could run into on that level.

I would personally love to see this released as a DVD edition, which it just may, but if you're out to see this, buy this one as soon as you can.

Razzle-Dazzle!!!
James Cagney demonstrates an extraordinary versatility in this lavish backstage musical about a producer whose life is not all singing and dancing.

Complete with Busby Berkeley production numbers, and choreographed with the colossal imagination and scope that have become Berkeley's legendary trademark, including the classic "Human Waterfall" number that displays countless beautiful chorus girls costumed in little more than ropes of pearls and showered in a colored mist from 300 tiny water sprays! It's a snappy, splashy, sizzling showcase featuring Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, and Dick Powell. A toe-tapping parade of stars, songs, and lavish productions. Highly recommended!!!

Deliriously Demented
When people think of Busby Berkeley movies, The Goldiggers of 1933 and 1935 plus 42nd Street top the list. This picture tends to get overlooked, but I have NEVER seen anything as transcendently wacko as the By A Waterfall number. It helps that this was one of the last precode musicals, but if you think that sex was invented in 1963, you have not seen Berkeley's lizard brain- generated Fugue on a Theme by Sigmund Freud. It's truly impossible to describe, but I fantasized about Leni and Joe catching this picture in a screening room at UFA and deciding that this would have to be the benchmark for next year's picture about the Nuremberg rally.

Other highlights in the picture include Jimmy Cagney blasting his way with explosive energy, Joan Blondell making a case as one of the unfrairly forgotten screen presences of the 1930s and of course the Honeymoon Hotel and Shanghai Lil sequences, These would rate as oustanding in their own rights, but have the misfortune of being in the same picture as Waterfall.

Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler are an interesting case. Keeler is a kind of depression glass artifact of the movies. People loved her for her inadequacies. Powell would have gone down in movie history as a somewhat de-testosteroned romantic tenor until he turned in a Philip Marlowe performance ten years later that surpassed Bogart playing the same character. It's strange, but my memories of the later role shadow and add depth to the earlier operetta work, lending his sappy crooning about gushing liquids and embowerment at the honeymoon hotel a latent menace.

OK, so why not 5 stars? The first hour of the picture is watchable, but suffers from the structural risk that the film took in staging all of the musical numbers in the last half hour. See the first hour once, and you need not see it again. Although the Turner VHS print is quite good, a decent transfer to DVD would be a most excellent thing. But I guarantee that the final sequences will make even the most jaded movie goer spit out their popcorn in astonishment.

Quiz question and answer
I wrote a review of "Footlight Parade" a couple of years ago and don't want to replace it. However I recently discovered a trivia fact about the film and decided to toss in this question: What is unusual about the several times the pianist plays the song "Ah, the moon is here" during the audition scene?

Answer: Each time the song is in a different key. When Mary has a go at it, it is in B-flat (as it is when Dick Powell and Frank McHugh demonstrate the piece in their hilarious duet). When the opera singer who gets into her singing mood with perfume ("Forget the smell, honey; sing") gives it a try, it is in C. Finally, when the woman who wins the audition sings it, it is in G. Presumably, the pianist had worked with this troupe for a long time and knew each singer's preferred key...

Fun and Funny
I have never seen the entire movie until now. Fun, funny, and at times risque. Three musical numbers used as the climax, all are good with my favorite a toss up between By A Waterfall, and Honeymoon Hotel. This film deserves to be restored and released on DVD. Warner Brothers, are you listening??? ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Set during the depression, this is the granddaddy of backstage musicals in which the understudy finally gets a chance to shine. It may seem a little cliché now, but in 1933 this was hot stuff. All that behind-the-scenes atmosphere feels very genuine, and the script is more acerbic than you might expect.

A sickly Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) puts his all into what may be his last show, only to face a disaster when leading lady Dorothy Brock (Bebe Daniels) sprains her ankle. Thank heavens for ingenue Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler), who steps in at the last minute. The vivacious soundtrack includes "Shuffle off to Buffalo," and the still-catchy title tune. Best of all are those extravagant, kaleidoscopic dance numbers by Busby Berkeley, then in his prime. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Come And Hear The Beat Of Dancing Feet On "42nd Street"
"42nd Street" is truly one of the all-time great movie musicals. It was seen when first released, as a gritty back-stage look inside what "really" happens durning the preparations of a Broadway play.
What is truly amazing about this film, is after some 70 years, "42nd Street" is still a dazzler. It still possess such charm and elegance that to be honest, not even the Broadway musical could beat it!
"42nd Street" tells the story of a young novice chorus girl, Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler) whom is trying to get in her first
Broadway play. She dreams of the bright lights of Broadway, and her name flashing high above. Sawyer will go into that play a youngster and has to come back a star. "42nd Street" throws in a lot of sub-plots dealing with most of it's main characters who include; Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers (Before she got her big break that same year in "Flyin' Down to Rio w\ a then unknown Fred Astaire!), Una Merkel, Guy Kibbee and of course Warner Baxter who plays Julian Marsh, the director of the play. But, none of these sub-plots throw the film off-track. They merely give the film more "color". By the end of the film all the sub-plots coincide with one another.
Another star of the movie I forgot to mention is of course the music itself composed by Harry Warren. The songs include; "You're Getting To Be A Habbit With Me", "Shuffle off to Buffalo", "Young & Healthy", and "42nd Street". It's in "42nd Street" that we see Ruby Keeler show us her steps. While many people today might not be impressed with it, there's something about her, that always holds my interest.
If you've never seen this film before, it really is a must. If you've already seen it, there's no harm in watching it again!
Bottom-line:This Oscar nominated musical is one of the best of it's day. Unforgettable songs, wonderful dancing by Ruby Keel