Reviews (4)

We invite you to Le Cafe Singe Bleu
It's interesting how people can see the same movie and come away with different impressions of it. A reviewer below wrote: >>Unfortunately, CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS is among them, with an early scene allowing one character to address Chan in pidgin English--and then requiring Chan to play into the joke. Modern viewers will likely find the scene distasteful; this aside, however, CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS is a reasonably entertaining entry in the series<<< and I frankly find this a surprise. Chan makes a fool of Max Corday (the man who spoke to him in Pidgin English) by speaking in pidgin first, and then perfect English. Corday is embarrassed and humbled, as Chan intended. All officials in the French police force treat Chan with respect. Making the point that 'the educated masses' are not racist, only ignorant people are.

Having said that, Charlie Chan in Paris is one of my favorite Chans, not the least because it introduces Keye Luke and has one of my favorite actors, Erik Rhodes...

One of the Better Chan Films
CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS is one of the better entries in the Chan series. It is the tenth Charlie Chan film and the seventh in which Warner Oland plays the role of the venerable detective. It marks the first appearance of Keye Luke as Lee Chan, Charlie's number one son.

Philip MacDonald wrote the screenplay. Earl Derr Biggers, the author of the six Charlie Chan books, had died in 1933.

Enjoyable but Slightly Patronizing
Although Charlie Chan films were no more nor less stereotypical in their presentation of the Inscrutable Chinese Detective than such series as Blondie were of the Crazy Blonde Housewife, some early Chan films did engage in a certain amount of regrettable patronization. Unfortunately, CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS is among them, with an early scene allowing one character to address Chan in pidgin English--and then requiring Chan to play into the joke. Modern viewers will likely find the scene distasteful; this aside, however, CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS is a reasonably entertaining entry in the series, starring the always welcome Warner Oland (the original Chan) and Keye Luke (the most enjoyable of Chan's tag-along sons) in a story concerning bond fraud in the city of light.

As the series evolved, writers became increasingly astute in their presentation of Chan, and while some characters might mock Chan, he inevitably shows them up by using their false impression of his intelligence to his own advantage. By the time Sidney Toler replaced Warner Oland (who died unexpectedly), moments of bad taste such as found in this particular film were exceedingly rare. While several of the best Chan films--such as AT THE OPERA, AT THE WAX MUSEUM, and CASTLE IN THE DESERT--are available on video, it is extremely regrettable that the vast majority of Chan films have never been released to the home audience; fans of the series should look for such films as AT TREASURE ISLAND and IN PANAMA on occasional cable television Chan film festivals.

the series hits it stride..a must
the movie seems to be the unoffical start of the series as we love it...number one son debut helps ..it has sex//comedy// a good ending//a must see ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fluffy costumer from Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott and John Wayne star in PITTSBURGH, a very entertaining yarn set against the backdrop of coalmines and WW2.

Josie Winters (Marlene Dietrich) inspires Cash Evans (Randolph Scott) and Pittsburgh Markham (John Wayne) to leave their dull and exhausting lives of working the coalmines, and to make their mark on society and big business.

Josie at first finds love with Pitt, but as he grows more big-headed and more snobbish, she finds solace in the arms of Cash.

An accident involving Josie taking a faulty elevator down the mine to break up a fight between Pitt and Cash almost ends in her death, and forces Pitt to finally see the folly of his ways.

A great story, one that everyone will enjoy.

Available seperately or in a box set with SEVEN SINNERS and GOLDEN EARRINGS.

I love you, Cash, so help me Hannah , I love you.
One of my all-time favorites, great cast, great story, and really great music. Good to see John Wayne as the heel for a change and lose a fist fight to my favorite hero, good-guy Randolph Scott. A must for all fans of John Wayne or Randolph Scott. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a far cry from The Thin Red Line, but it's engaging and efficient World War II propaganda about the opening of the South Pacific campaign that would ultimately turn the tide of the war. Anxious and unsuspecting Marines land on the Solomon Islands and quickly learn how to engage the Japanese in foxhole warfare. It's full of archetypal characters (tough sergeant Lloyd Nolan, Brooklyn cabby William Bendix, lusty Mexican Anthony Quinn, and gravel-mouthed Lionel Stander) and well-staged battle scenes. There's even a battle-weary narration to provide authenticity and historical perspective. All around, a good grunt film. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Entertaining Movie, Bad History
Guadalcanal Diary is exactly what you'd expect to come out of Hollywood during the war--high on fluff and propaganda, low on substance. While it's true that some of the events in the film are based on real events, many are not. None of the Japanese attacks, like at the Tenaru and Bloody Ridge, are depicted though they're mentioned in the film. To have included these hair-raising night battles would've made the movie much more realistic and entertaining. With the exception of the ill-fated Goettge Patrol, what you have instead are fictional battles. For instance, the marines never did launch an offensive on the 10 November, the Marine Corps' birthday.

Guadalcanal Diary, however, does create the general feel of what it was like to fight on Guadalcanal, though nobody in this film is ever hungry, sick, or unshaven! You do find an excellent depiction of the Battleship bombardment on 13 October as well as some superb air raid scenes. This movie would have been much better if it was strictly based on the time-frame of the book (late July - 26 September). Too bad the movie didn't depict real battles and real people. It's still fun to watch, though. If you like war movies, you'll like this flick.

A well-made "flag waver", which also entertains.
Set apart by its realistic portrayal of the struggle for Guadalcanal from most other "flag-wavers" made during World War 2, this film is also most entertaining. Marines live and die in this film, and the Japanese also certainly die, as you would expect. The black and white photography and narration by Richard Tregaskis (an actor really) give the film a documentary realism. For civilian audiences, this film must have seemed absolutely real to them. However, while the Marines on the 'canal were literally starving to death for a while, the actors in this film stay remarkably healthy looking. Also, they shave every day. The cast is top notch. You'll recognize many past and future stars from it. Richard Jaeckal (the MP Sergeant in The Dirty Dozen ) started his film career in the movie. Guadalcanal Diary is a fine example of the World War 2 film, made to bolster civilian morale during the war years. It is well worth seeing and owning, as a piece of cinematic history.

"boys with a memory of death in their eyes"
Based on Richard Tregaskis' popular book of his account of the action at Guadalcanal, when the first detachment of U.S. Marines landed in the Solomon Islands in August of 1942, this is a tough and gritty war film with a sturdy ensemble cast, who do a wonderful job of recreating the diverse characters in the story, from Anthony Quinn who dreams of his señoritas, to the young Richard Jaeckel, who is always writing home to mom.
Preston Foster, William Bendix, Lloyd Nolan and Richard Conte are the other actors that contribute to make the film interesting, along with the narration by Reed Hadley which contrasts with the everyday speech of the dialogue and at times is quite poetic.

Enduring the humid jungle, often plagued with torrential rain, and at one point running out of food and needing reinforcements, the narrator says of October 10th, "...for we are tired, after days of heat and rain, dust and disease, mud and malnutrition, weeks of constant fighting...", the film depicts a lot of heroism, the caring for one another, and much patriotism.
The battle cinematography by Charles Clarke is visually exciting, though all very sanitized, as none of the intense fighting is graphic, and one must remember that this is a 1943 film, and the language used is far from politically correct; those who can't put it into historical perspective should avoid seeing it.
Total running time is 93 minutes.

Well staged war movie
This account of the struggle to retake the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal from the occupying Japanese army in World War two is marked by superbly staged battle sequences .It -uniquely for the period -eschews the standard gung ho flag waving that marked most Hollywood war movies of the era (understandably ,in my book given the circumstances)and depicts a very matter of fact view of the average soldier's life in combat situations.
The acting honours are stolen by the under-rated Richard Jaeckel but there is sterling support from reliable performers like William Bendix,Richard Conte ,Lloyd Nolan and the great Anthony Quinn.
A war movie showing rare honesty and integrity .

Just Want To Go Home.
Set in the early days of WWII in the Pacific, the film follows a unit of Marines as they battle everything from disease and treacherous terrain to just being tired of not being at home. The Marines go from one battle to another, fighting to stay alive and keep there hopes up. There is a rogue Sgt. (Lloyd Nolan), a simple cab driver from Brooklyn (William Bendix), and a troubled Marine (Anthony Quinn)! With well done battle's and a outstanding script, this film is considered to be one of the best films done during WWII! If you can put aside that it was made in 1943, and it is not as realistic as it would be today. It is sure to get the message across and deliver the goods. One of the best war films of all time!
Grade:A ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Never trust the face of life.
In a way an interesting film about the world of drama-entertainment in New York, with the strict division between « noble » musicals and « unmentionable » burlesque, except that burlesque ? being a lot more fragile and a lot less valorized by the « worthy » audience, is a hothouse for all kinds of flexible and at times very creative shows, songs, ideas, artists. When one is hungry and poor one has a natural tendency to move on, to invent, to attract attention, to be what one has never been and what others have never been either. What's more the film is also about some social issues, particularly women and their position in the confrontation they live every day with men. Men appear as being ruffians, a little bit rough on the edges and definitely tactician sexual climbers taking advantage of any opportunity appearing in their vision. Women are depicted as more faithful, more attached to permanence and deeper feelings. This little film is in many ways one of the roots of the theme developed in « Moulin Rouge » though a lot less dramatically and emotionally. A good entertainment that shows how the burlesque can take its revenge on upperclass showbusiness.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

highly entertaining musical
DOLL FACE is a highly entertaining and delightful musical starring the sadly under-rated performer Vivian Blaine (1945's STATE FAIR and GUYS AND DOLLS).

She plays Doll Face Carroll, the headliner in a third-rate burlesque theatre in Brooklyn who hits it big when she writes her autobiography "Genius de Milo" and then stars in a musical version of it on Broadway.

Very fun and highly nostalgic, DOLL FACE is one very good musical.

With Perry Como, Carmen Miranda, Dennis O'Keefe, Martha Stewart, Michael Dunne and Reed Hadley.

Most pleasant memories
I remember as a very young man of going to the Fox Theater in downtown Detroit to see this most entertaining movie.WWII was still going on and movies like this were a great escape from the sometimes sad news of the day. What can you say about Pery Como that hasn't been said. He was just wonderful as well as the entire cast of this treasure of Hollywood. Oh come on it didn't win any oscars but it wasn't intended to. It was, like most movies of the time, to just entertain us. And it did so quite well. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

If you liked Cross of Iron you like this one...
This is a good movie and the SEQUEL to the "Cross of Iron" movie. It's derived from a German Book and if the previous reviewer would have paid attention to the actual movie he would have figured it out, since this one STARTS out on the russian front and was not simply a copy of the first movie....

The Soundtrack is really not worth talking about.

This movie is simply the story of a German group of soldiers towards the end of the war.... It shows the idiocy of war very well... It's not a Saving Private Ryan or D-Day but a good war movie...

An American infantry unit from basic to combat in Europe
"Breakthrough" is the story of an American combat infantry unit in World War II from basic training to D-Day and the war in Europe. This 1950 film directed by Lewis Seller is unpretentious in its depiction of what it was like for the young men who did the fighting, but it does have its fair share of cliches and unnecessary romantic sub-plots. It does make good use of actual combat footage. This film, which is often confused with a 1978 film of the same name starring Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, and Rod Steiger (a sequel to "Cross of Iron") stars David Brian as Captain Tom Hale, John Agar as Lt. Joe Mallory, Frank Lovejoy as Sgt. Pete Bell, and William Campbell (of "Star Trek" fame) as Corporal Dominick. This is not a great WWII film, but it is certainly above average and has a basic integrity that many of them lack.

Breakthrough - Poor Movie
Both the film and sound track are poor.

Good movie
The previous reviewer mistook this movie for another one with Richard Burton. This movie is about American soldiers in the Normandy campaign. I confess that it was a long time ago when I saw it, but I thought it was a good movie.

A mediocre movie with a terrible soundtrack
"Breakthrough" is an absurd copy of the excellent Sam Peckinpah's movie "Cross of Iron". It lacks from this standpoint originality (even the names of the characters are the same with a different story this time in the western European theather). The recreation of war scenes are fairly good (American tanks are from the Korean War though) and probably the element that barely saves the movie is the fine recreation of German uniforms (for those lovers of german WWII millitaria). The film has a soundtrack that not matches the movie at all. Even with actors of the caliber of Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, and Kurt Jurgens, "Breakthrough" is undoubtly a mediocre war movie. ... Read more

Description

Featuring a talented cast and astonishing real-life footage of the Allied invasion, Breaktrhough follows a handful of GIs through the hellfire of Omaha Beach and across the Normandy peninsula. Inch by inch they claim the land. Inch by inch they consecrate it with bravery and blood. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

If you liked Cross of Iron you like this one...
This is a good movie and the SEQUEL to the "Cross of Iron" movie. It's derived from a German Book and if the previous reviewer would have paid attention to the actual movie he would have figured it out, since this one STARTS out on the russian front and was not simply a copy of the first movie....

The Soundtrack is really not worth talking about.

This movie is simply the story of a German group of soldiers towards the end of the war.... It shows the idiocy of war very well... It's not a Saving Private Ryan or D-Day but a good war movie...

An American infantry unit from basic to combat in Europe
"Breakthrough" is the story of an American combat infantry unit in World War II from basic training to D-Day and the war in Europe. This 1950 film directed by Lewis Seller is unpretentious in its depiction of what it was like for the young men who did the fighting, but it does have its fair share of cliches and unnecessary romantic sub-plots. It does make good use of actual combat footage. This film, which is often confused with a 1978 film of the same name starring Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, and Rod Steiger (a sequel to "Cross of Iron") stars David Brian as Captain Tom Hale, John Agar as Lt. Joe Mallory, Frank Lovejoy as Sgt. Pete Bell, and William Campbell (of "Star Trek" fame) as Corporal Dominick. This is not a great WWII film, but it is certainly above average and has a basic integrity that many of them lack.

Breakthrough - Poor Movie
Both the film and sound track are poor.

Good movie
The previous reviewer mistook this movie for another one with Richard Burton. This movie is about American soldiers in the Normandy campaign. I confess that it was a long time ago when I saw it, but I thought it was a good movie.

A mediocre movie with a terrible soundtrack
"Breakthrough" is an absurd copy of the excellent Sam Peckinpah's movie "Cross of Iron". It lacks from this standpoint originality (even the names of the characters are the same with a different story this time in the western European theather). The recreation of war scenes are fairly good (American tanks are from the Korean War though) and probably the element that barely saves the movie is the fine recreation of German uniforms (for those lovers of german WWII millitaria). The film has a soundtrack that not matches the movie at all. Even with actors of the caliber of Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum, and Kurt Jurgens, "Breakthrough" is undoubtly a mediocre war movie. ... Read more

Description

Documentary short film about the development and usage of battle tanks in the American national defense program. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Fun to Watch Period Film
A war film fun? In terms of a movie that is hard to take seriously, yet is worthy of veiwing, yes. There is footage galore of period, (1951) Sherman tanks as well as T2 amored recovery vehicles and some M-26 Pershings. M10 tank destroyers masquerade as Panthers, oh well. The cast includes the mucn loved tank commandered who becomes a casualty and is replaced by a hard-bitten sargent with a past. We also get to enjoy a comical sidekick mechanic who knows the inferior Shermans must be replaced with a better tank. Really, good stuff, just don't take it seriously. Make some popcorn and enjoy!

Great Tanks, Lousy Story..
I bought this tape based on the reviews that I found here and, I must say, was disappointed. On the down side, I found the the story line to be incredibly weak and the script stilted. The acting was some of the worst I've seen in a film, regardless of era. Special effects are, how should I say, weak... It reminded be of a B science fiction movie of the time, but with tanks instead of giant grasshoppers.

On the up side, the use of the tanks was really interesting to this military history buff. I especially liked the sound of the Sherman tank engines. I don't thinnk I had heard that before. There are a lot of M4 tanks, and some good shots of M3's. I suppose it's interesting enough in that regard to recommend. However, I wouldn't even wast time on the story. Just fast forward to the tank scenes and enjoy. The rest is drivel...

One of the Best if you want Historical WWII Tank Accuracy!
One of the Best if you want WWII Historical Tank Accuracy I recently viewed this film at a friend's home which prompted me to buy it. I can not remember seeing a more historically correct film as far as the WWII Sherman Tank is concerned. If you want to see real WWII tanks in action, outside of historical footage, this film is one of the best. The acting and dialogue is a bit dated but many cliches are used that fit the period. The German uniforms and gear is historically (hysterically) very rough by any standards. Among American armor and military collectors this film should rates high as it was filmed in 1951 when the army still had the materials in service. For that reason it would be impossible to recreate this film today without millions of dollars and computer animation, if then. I give it 3 stars as a film, 1 star for acting and 5 stars for the historically accurate WWII Sherman Tank and the Armored Divisions and their men of WWII.

"the" definitive tank film.
I am afraid that my review of "The Tanks are coming" will have to be brief as I saw the film way back in the 1950s. I have always had a great interest in things military - tanks especially. Many films have been made on the subject of tanks in war since then, but "The Tanks are Coming" still sticks in my mind as the film that so accurately presented the military problems that the allied armies of the time encountered when they were struugling against a brave, determined and well-equipped adversary.

John Caucutt

Excellent movie about Tankers in WW2
This is the only war movie dedicated entirely to Allied tankers I've seen, and it's very good. It clearly shows how the Sherman was badly obsolete against Panthers and Tigers, and the 88mm gun. Fast-paced action. This movie actually uses M-4 Shermans instead of the usual M-24s and M-47s used in other war movies later on. Theres more Shermans in this than you can shake a stick at. The German tanks are American tank-destroyers though. The movie shows just how armoured combat in WW2 worked. Story about disliked Sergeant trying to whip his crew into shape is typical but it works well with this movie. Good film for tank buffs. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Never trust the face of life.
In a way an interesting film about the world of drama-entertainment in New York, with the strict division between « noble » musicals and « unmentionable » burlesque, except that burlesque ? being a lot more fragile and a lot less valorized by the « worthy » audience, is a hothouse for all kinds of flexible and at times very creative shows, songs, ideas, artists. When one is hungry and poor one has a natural tendency to move on, to invent, to attract attention, to be what one has never been and what others have never been either. What's more the film is also about some social issues, particularly women and their position in the confrontation they live every day with men. Men appear as being ruffians, a little bit rough on the edges and definitely tactician sexual climbers taking advantage of any opportunity appearing in their vision. Women are depicted as more faithful, more attached to permanence and deeper feelings. This little film is in many ways one of the roots of the theme developed in « Moulin Rouge » though a lot less dramatically and emotionally. A good entertainment that shows how the burlesque can take its revenge on upperclass showbusiness.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

highly entertaining musical
DOLL FACE is a highly entertaining and delightful musical starring the sadly under-rated performer Vivian Blaine (1945's STATE FAIR and GUYS AND DOLLS).

She plays Doll Face Carroll, the headliner in a third-rate burlesque theatre in Brooklyn who hits it big when she writes her autobiography "Genius de Milo" and then stars in a musical version of it on Broadway.

Very fun and highly nostalgic, DOLL FACE is one very good musical.

With Perry Como, Carmen Miranda, Dennis O'Keefe, Martha Stewart, Michael Dunne and Reed Hadley.

Most pleasant memories
I remember as a very young man of going to the Fox Theater in downtown Detroit to see this most entertaining movie.WWII was still going on and movies like this were a great escape from the sometimes sad news of the day. What can you say about Pery Como that hasn't been said. He was just wonderful as well as the entire cast of this treasure of Hollywood. Oh come on it didn't win any oscars but it wasn't intended to. It was, like most movies of the time, to just entertain us. And it did so quite well. ... Read more

Description

Bio-pic of baseball legend Grover Cleveland Alexander, who became a star despite an early career handicap. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Doris Day and Ronald Regan Go Out To The !BALL GAME!
Grover Cleveland Alexander (Ronald Regan) is a Telephone worker who is always off playing Baseball instead of working he has a big crush on Aimee (Doris Day) well she tells him that if he marries her he has to give up Baseball permanently and put all of his attention on working and making their farm a big sucsess! But he gets hired to play for a big Baseball team and is offered a big deal of money to play Baseball Games so Aimee decideds to cancel her rule and let him go play well he becomes a great sucsess and they buy a big farm but one game he has an accident and falls over and gets Double Vision! Well after months of work he is able to go back to playing Baseball but it happens once again! Well he finally gets over it and he redeems his stardom! Great touching Adult Drama Film!

DAY AND REAGAN PLAY A "WINNING" BALLGAME!
When "The Winning Team" hit theatres in 1952, moviegoers gave it an enthusiastic welcome. Doris Day, billed first, was the top moneymaking star at Warner Brothers and Ronald Reagan was nearing the end of his contract run at that studio.
The pair had briefly dated some years before, and they clearly evidence an on-screen chemistry which propels this tale of the late, great pitcher, Grover Cleveland Alexander, to a near homer.
While it may play lose with some of the facts surrounding "Alex the Great's" life, toning down his drinking problems and virtually ignoring his epilepsy, the resultant film is a well crafted, lovingly enacted story that will please a variety of audiences including those who enjoy baseball tales and those who prefer some homespun Hollywood biography.
This smartly directed story pretty much limits its scope to the years during which Alex and his wife Aimee were courting and married. The popular standard, "I'll String Along with You" is utilized as part of the film's score during many scenes involving the pair. Although not actually written at the time the story takes place it is nevertheless poignant and sweet.
Ronald Reagan clearly worked hard at his role in this film. He delivers one of his most convincing performances and capably displays the many layers behind the great pitcher with heartfelt feeling and emotion. As noted earlier, his chemistry with Doris Day is never forced or artificial but seems to be completely real in every way.
Few actresses could play wife and/or mother with the conviction of Doris Day. In the 40's, 50's, 60's, or 70's, she consistently and with subtlety played such roles in a real and completely believable fashion. She never resorts to sacchrrine sweetness or cloying mannerisms. Although only in her 20's when making this film, she displays a natural maturity and warmth as well as strength of character that gives the role of Aimee more complexity than it may appear to have on the surface. One shudders to imagine what the role would have been in the hands of someone like June Allyson or Debbie Reynolds.
During their marriage and the ups and downs that occurred with frequency, Aimee becomes a force behind Alex's comebacks and renewed success. While never diminishing Alex's own strengths and skills, Aimee is, nonetheless, a presence in his life that he can always turn to with certainty.
The supporting cast is fine headed by the always reliable Frank Lovejoy, turning in another fine performance. Baseball scenes are interlaced with real footage, and staged with excitement and an obvious love for that most American of sports.
"The Winning Team" is the perfect antidote to livening up anyone's day. This is one ball game you should be happy to be taken out to!

Ronald Reagan's winning performance as Grover C. Alexander
This biographical film about the great baseball pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander actually gives top billing to Doris Day as Aimee Alexander rather than to Ronald Reagan as Alex the Great. "The Winning Team" actually manages to stick to the facts of Alexander's career, although it tones down his alcoholism and says nothing about his epilepsy, with the film suggesting his health problems had to do more with a blow to the head and being exposed to loud noises when he served in the artillery in France. To be fair, Alexander did prefer people think he was a drunk rather than let on about his epilepsy. Still, the film does deal with his rise, fall and celebrated comeback in leading the St. Louis Cardinals over the New York Yankees in the 1926 World Series when he struck out Tony Lazzeri with the bases loaded (in the 8th inning of Game 6). This film offers one of the finest performances by Ronald Reagan, in what proved to be his last film for Warner Brothers. Certainly he captures the dignity of a man who does not want anybody to know the terrible truth about what is wrong with him. Doris Day is the epitome of a supportive, albeit rather emotional, wife. As Rogers Hornsby, the player-manager who gives Alex his last shot, Frank Lovejoy plays the Rajah with a lot more personality than he ever showed in his Hall of Fame career. Alexander's widow Aimee served as the consultant on this 1952 film directed by Lewis Seiler, which stands second to only "Pride of the Yankees" as a baseball biopic of that era.

If you love baseball . . .
This is one great movie. Have you ever tried to explain to somebody who doesn't understand how great baseball is? Show them this movie. Ronald Reagan is Grover Cleveland Alexander!Compared to all of the great baseball movies there are out there, this one is still one of the greatest! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Nazis conquest consumes Eastern Europe
"Divide and Conquer: Europe in Flames" is the third in director Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" series that is the supreme example of American propaganda during World War II. Capra served as a major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was commissioned by Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall to make a series of films that would explain the government's policy to the troops hastily being assembled, trained, and sent overseas. Eventually the "Why We Fight" series was shown to the public in theaters and prints were distributed to American allies in England and the Soviet Union as well.

"Divide and Conquer," on which Anatole Litvak also worked as an uncredited director, followed "The Nazi Strike," both of which were released in 1943. The 57-minute black & white documentary narrated by actor Walter Huston follows the German war machine as it continued to march across Europe. Following the fall of Denmark and Norway the Nazis do an end run around France's Maginot Line and take Paris. When the British Army is defeated and escapes being captured at Dunkirk and the Low Countries also fall to the Nazi most of Western Europe is under their country. This documentary makes an interesting case the Nazi victory was due to a combination of innovative military tactics and the work of traitors.

Even today the "Why We Fight" series remains a prime source of archival footage of this period, with film of Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Charles De Gaulle on the one side, with Adolf Hitler, Josef Gobbels, Rudolph Hess, Alfred Jodl, and other key Nazis on the other. "Divide and Conquer" is followed by "The Battle of Britain," which continues the story of how the Nazi easily conquered most of the European continent and planned an invasion of the British Isles. In 2000 the "Why We Fight" series was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
[Edit Review] ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Never trust the face of life.
In a way an interesting film about the world of drama-entertainment in New York, with the strict division between « noble » musicals and « unmentionable » burlesque, except that burlesque ? being a lot more fragile and a lot less valorized by the « worthy » audience, is a hothouse for all kinds of flexible and at times very creative shows, songs, ideas, artists. When one is hungry and poor one has a natural tendency to move on, to invent, to attract attention, to be what one has never been and what others have never been either. What's more the film is also about some social issues, particularly women and their position in the confrontation they live every day with men. Men appear as being ruffians, a little bit rough on the edges and definitely tactician sexual climbers taking advantage of any opportunity appearing in their vision. Women are depicted as more faithful, more attached to permanence and deeper feelings. This little film is in many ways one of the roots of the theme developed in « Moulin Rouge » though a lot less dramatically and emotionally. A good entertainment that shows how the burlesque can take its revenge on upperclass showbusiness.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

highly entertaining musical
DOLL FACE is a highly entertaining and delightful musical starring the sadly under-rated performer Vivian Blaine (1945's STATE FAIR and GUYS AND DOLLS).

She plays Doll Face Carroll, the headliner in a third-rate burlesque theatre in Brooklyn who hits it big when she writes her autobiography "Genius de Milo" and then stars in a musical version of it on Broadway.

Very fun and highly nostalgic, DOLL FACE is one very good musical.

With Perry Como, Carmen Miranda, Dennis O'Keefe, Martha Stewart, Michael Dunne and Reed Hadley.

Most pleasant memories
I remember as a very young man of going to the Fox Theater in downtown Detroit to see this most entertaining movie.WWII was still going on and movies like this were a great escape from the sometimes sad news of the day. What can you say about Pery Como that hasn't been said. He was just wonderful as well as the entire cast of this treasure of Hollywood. Oh come on it didn't win any oscars but it wasn't intended to. It was, like most movies of the time, to just entertain us. And it did so quite well. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Nazis conquest consumes Eastern Europe
"Divide and Conquer: Europe in Flames" is the third in director Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" series that is the supreme example of American propaganda during World War II. Capra served as a major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was commissioned by Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall to make a series of films that would explain the government's policy to the troops hastily being assembled, trained, and sent overseas. Eventually the "Why We Fight" series was shown to the public in theaters and prints were distributed to American allies in England and the Soviet Union as well.

"Divide and Conquer," on which Anatole Litvak also worked as an uncredited director, followed "The Nazi Strike," both of which were released in 1943. The 57-minute black & white documentary narrated by actor Walter Huston follows the German war machine as it continued to march across Europe. Following the fall of Denmark and Norway the Nazis do an end run around France's Maginot Line and take Paris. When the British Army is defeated and escapes being captured at Dunkirk and the Low Countries also fall to the Nazi most of Western Europe is under their country. This documentary makes an interesting case the Nazi victory was due to a combination of innovative military tactics and the work of traitors.

Even today the "Why We Fight" series remains a prime source of archival footage of this period, with film of Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Charles De Gaulle on the one side, with Adolf Hitler, Josef Gobbels, Rudolph Hess, Alfred Jodl, and other key Nazis on the other. "Divide and Conquer" is followed by "The Battle of Britain," which continues the story of how the Nazi easily conquered most of the European continent and planned an invasion of the British Isles. In 2000 the "Why We Fight" series was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
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Reviews (1)

The Nazis conquest consumes Eastern Europe
"Divide and Conquer: Europe in Flames" is the third in director Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" series that is the supreme example of American propaganda during World War II. Capra served as a major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was commissioned by Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall to make a series of films that would explain the government's policy to the troops hastily being assembled, trained, and sent overseas. Eventually the "Why We Fight" series was shown to the public in theaters and prints were distributed to American allies in England and the Soviet Union as well.

"Divide and Conquer," on which Anatole Litvak also worked as an uncredited director, followed "The Nazi Strike," both of which were released in 1943. The 57-minute black & white documentary narrated by actor Walter Huston follows the German war machine as it continued to march across Europe. Following the fall of Denmark and Norway the Nazis do an end run around France's Maginot Line and take Paris. When the British Army is defeated and escapes being captured at Dunkirk and the Low Countries also fall to the Nazi most of Western Europe is under their country. This documentary makes an interesting case the Nazi victory was due to a combination of innovative military tactics and the work of traitors.

Even today the "Why We Fight" series remains a prime source of archival footage of this period, with film of Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Charles De Gaulle on the one side, with Adolf Hitler, Josef Gobbels, Rudolph Hess, Alfred Jodl, and other key Nazis on the other. "Divide and Conquer" is followed by "The Battle of Britain," which continues the story of how the Nazi easily conquered most of the European continent and planned an invasion of the British Isles. In 2000 the "Why We Fight" series was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
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Reviews (11)

Entertaining Movie, Bad History
Guadalcanal Diary is exactly what you'd expect to come out of Hollywood during the war--high on fluff and propaganda, low on substance. While it's true that some of the events in the film are based on real events, many are not. None of the Japanese attacks, like at the Tenaru and Bloody Ridge, are depicted though they're mentioned in the film. To have included these hair-raising night battles would've made the movie much more realistic and entertaining. With the exception of the ill-fated Goettge Patrol, what you have instead are fictional battles. For instance, the marines never did launch an offensive on the 10 November, the Marine Corps' birthday.

Guadalcanal Diary, however, does create the general feel of what it was like to fight on Guadalcanal, though nobody in this film is ever hungry, sick, or unshaven! You do find an excellent depiction of the Battleship bombardment on 13 October as well as some superb air raid scenes. This movie would have been much better if it was strictly based on the time-frame of the book (late July - 26 September). Too bad the movie didn't depict real battles and real people. It's still fun to watch, though. If you like war movies, you'll like this flick.

A well-made "flag waver", which also entertains.
Set apart by its realistic portrayal of the struggle for Guadalcanal from most other "flag-wavers" made during World War 2, this film is also most entertaining. Marines live and die in this film, and the Japanese also certainly die, as you would expect. The black and white photography and narration by Richard Tregaskis (an actor really) give the film a documentary realism. For civilian audiences, this film must have seemed absolutely real to them. However, while the Marines on the 'canal were literally starving to death for a while, the actors in this film stay remarkably healthy looking. Also, they shave every day. The cast is top notch. You'll recognize many past and future stars from it. Richard Jaeckal (the MP Sergeant in The Dirty Dozen ) started his film career in the movie. Guadalcanal Diary is a fine example of the World War 2 film, made to bolster civilian morale during the war years. It is well worth seeing and owning, as a piece of cinematic history.

"boys with a memory of death in their eyes"
Based on Richard Tregaskis' popular book of his account of the action at Guadalcanal, when the first detachment of U.S. Marines landed in the Solomon Islands in August of 1942, this is a tough and gritty war film with a sturdy ensemble cast, who do a wonderful job of recreating the diverse characters in the story, from Anthony Quinn who dreams of his señoritas, to the young Richard Jaeckel, who is always writing home to mom.
Preston Foster, William Bendix, Lloyd Nolan and Richard Conte are the other actors that contribute to make the film interesting, along with the narration by Reed Hadley which contrasts with the everyday speech of the dialogue and at times is quite poetic.

Enduring the humid jungle, often plagued with torrential rain, and at one point running out of food and needing reinforcements, the narrator says of October 10th, "...for we are tired, after days of heat and rain, dust and disease, mud and malnutrition, weeks of constant fighting...", the film depicts a lot of heroism, the caring for one another, and much patriotism.
The battle cinematography by Charles Clarke is visually exciting, though all very sanitized, as none of the intense fighting is graphic, and one must remember that this is a 1943 film, and the language used is far from politically correct; those who can't put it into historical perspective should avoid seeing it.
Total running time is 93 minutes.

Well staged war movie
This account of the struggle to retake the South Pacific island of Guadalcanal from the occupying Japanese army in World War two is marked by superbly staged battle sequences .It -uniquely for the period -eschews the standard gung ho flag waving that marked most Hollywood war movies of the era (understandably ,in my book given the circumstances)and depicts a very matter of fact view of the average soldier's life in combat situations.
The acting honours are stolen by the under-rated Richard Jaeckel but there is sterling support from reliable performers like William Bendix,Richard Conte ,Lloyd Nolan and the great Anthony Quinn.
A war movie showing rare honesty and integrity .

Just Want To Go Home.
Set in the early days of WWII in the Pacific, the film follows a unit of Marines as they battle everything from disease and treacherous terrain to just being tired of not being at home. The Marines go from one battle to another, fighting to stay alive and keep there hopes up. There is a rogue Sgt. (Lloyd Nolan), a simple cab driver from Brooklyn (William Bendix), and a troubled Marine (Anthony Quinn)! With well done battle's and a outstanding script, this film is considered to be one of the best films done during WWII! If you can put aside that it was made in 1943, and it is not as realistic as it would be today. It is sure to get the message across and deliver the goods. One of the best war films of all time!
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