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Reviews
The Biscuit Eater (1940)
An A+ B movie.
The 1940 version of "The Biscuit Eater" is one of the best B movies ever made. Note that I'm using the term "B movie" in its original sense of a low budget film intended to be shown as a second feature. "The Narrow Margin" with Charles McGraw is an example of a B movie that is much superior to the expensive remake (with Gene Hackman), a so-called "A movie". Many reviewers of the Biscuit Eater have expressed the wish to purchase of copy of this movie. I was able to purchase a new DVD of the 1940 original from Loving The Classics. (www.lovingtheclassics.com) for only $14. Their web site lists The Biscuit Eater as one of their best sellers!
Pittsburgh (1942)
An obvious remake
It's odd that no one, not even a professional reviewer, notes the rather obvious fact that "Pittsburgh" is a remake of "Boom Town". John Wayne, Randolph Scott and Marelene Dietrich reprise the roles originally played by Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Claudette Colbert, and Oklahoma oil fields become Pittsburgh steel mills. The plot remains the same: (SPOILERS follow) two friends with a common girl friend become successful partners, then eventually become rivals when one of them (Gable in the original, Wayne in the remake) lets success get to his head, gets involved with wealthy people and marries into society, then lets his boorish behavior get him booted out. Meanwhile, his former friend marries the girl and is highly successful.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
How Vassili won the Battle of Stalingrad
A curious script. First we see green Russian troops being herded into Stalingrad to be slaughtered by the Germans. Then Vassili starts sniping, causing sufficient havoc among the Germans that they are motivated into sending for their top sniper to counter Vassili. The two armies apparently hold a truce while Vassili and the German then begin their private war. Eventually, Vassili prevails and the Russians have won the battle for Stalingrad. Somehow, I have the feeling there was more to it than this.
The individual actors, especially Jude Law, Joseph Fiennes and Ed Harris are fine but they are sabotaged by the script. Horner's insipid, derivative score doesn't help.
Cast Away (2000)
This movie rates a "9" on the island and a "2" off the island.
The movie would be greatly improved if the opening scenes in Moscow were eliminated and if the meetings with Helen Hunt were replaced by some scenes showing Hanks' reactions to being back in civilization.
Clay Pigeons (1998)
One word should suffice: dumb!
"Dumb" describes everything and everyone in this movie. The characters all act dumb and this includes, incredibly, even Janeane Garafalo's FBI agent. The clay pigeon's actions are stupid although his initial ones might be attributed to panic. As for law enforcement, the Lester Long character is all over the town, in the bar and pool hall, picking up waitresses at the restaurant, etc., and no-one can corraborate his presence nor the existence of his 16 wheeler? And when the company whose name is on the rig is called and a representative denies the existence of a driver with the suspect's name, this ends the matter? Has no-one ever heard of phony names? And what was the big, authoritative looking assistant to Garafolo's agent doing in this picture? One has the impression that his role was initially intended to be much larger but halfway through the filming, the director got tired and just threw some kind of ending together. Altogether, a dumb movie.