Reviews

While working night many years ago, I would tape the TV programs so I'd have something to see the next day. I was cleaning out some old tapes and found this one. I watched it again. This is taken from a story by Langston Hughes and the music is by Kurt Weil. The beginning drags as they try to establish the characters. The center is livelier as the plot and characters come together. The ending is again a slow disappointment. I have not read the original story so I don't know if the author really meant it go the way it was played. Maybe he did. Showing life with its slow beginning and difficult learning period. Then mid-life with more excitement and its hard facts of decision making and adjustments. Life ends with a slow unrewarding climax into nothingness. I am not an opera fan and this was suppose to be one. The actors and the singing were good, but I would not pay to see this.

Actually I think I should apologize to Micky Rooney for personally thinking of him as I first encountered him. Andy Hardy. Even with his rolls in Boy's Town, National Velvet and The Human Comedy, I could never take him as a serious actor. Watching his performance as "Bill" was one of the truly outstanding portrayals I ever saw. I now saw Mickey as a consummate artists of his trade. I'm sorry it took me fifty years to really see it. The story of Bill and the Bills' like him is happening all over the world. Just this year, the county I live in closed the County Home. There were two people who were just the type that "Bill" was. Thinking of this story makes be wonder what will become of them. I would like to see the movie replayed again to help folks to be more aware that our communities have this problem. Mickey Rooney played this with such warmth, skill and awareness that I say THANK YOU for your eye opening characterization of Bill.

I suspect that in todays (2003) world, most modernists thinks this movie story line reeks with "Political Incorrectness", however the story set up is funny and the actors follow though with great skill. The choreography in the barn raising scene is the finest example in all the movies I've seen of more than two people dancing. And I've been watching movies since 1938.

This is one of the best, if not the best, film to show railroad action. For those of you too young to remember steam trains, this will show you just what they went through to run a train. Except for not stopping for water, which was required very often, the scenes were very real. I am glad I have this on tape to show my grand and great grand children. The wrecks that were staged were real! The French were glad to help get rid of there war-torn rail equipment.

I found the character of Rev. Jones to have been one of the great portrayals I have seen in several years. My hat is off to KENNETH GRIFFITH in this the most important role of the film. The real hero of the story. A truly outstanding piece of work.

As an admirer of sci-fi and fantasy as a young man, Tolkien did not come along until my late forties when I was on to other writings. I read him but did not get the close in feeling my son did. He was 19. Seeing this movies reminded me of the difficulties making movies of the imagination of someone else. Jackson should be commended for his efforts. The scenery (special effects) were very well done. The dialogue was a waste. Most of it was unintelligible. To anyone not familiar with the story would not be able to follow it. In fact, even familiar with it was the most disturbing distraction. The ending was a great disappointment. I see many saying it is the greatest picture ever made. Obviously they have not seen many of the really great films of the past. This is NOT one of them.

I found this movie intriguing and riveting. The opening scene in the prison is a real grabber. I thought the character development was outstanding. The actors were remarkable. Especially the lead Allison Elliot. I have never seen her before or since. She should be in something else with her skill and talent. This is the only movie in the last few years I can recall seeing where redemption is used. I thought Hollywood forgot that it existed.

Somehow the teaming of Glover and Short didn't mix. There was not the special chemistry that is required to make this work. The premise was a great idea but it seemed so forced most of the time. The silly grin that Short kept though out the film, really made his charactor even dumber than it was suppose to be. Maybe I just was looking for something clever and witty. This wasn't it.

Having seen Mary Steenburgen in the Butcher's Wife, I wanted so see what else she's done. The library had this film with Dudley Moore. Since I liked his work, I thought this would be a good flick. I was disappointed. The actors were ok, but the script was very thin and had to much patch work. The ending was dragged out poorly. The humor was generally good and was delivered well by the actors. This was the only saving grace for this movie.

Was very disappointed. I have usually liked Dudley Moore and Mary Tyler Moore but they did nothing for me in this flick. I felt the story was very disjointed. Characters didn't fit one another. Poorly written and ill conceived.

Browsing films in the local library, I noted this film and remembered how much I enjoyed the acting of Paul Muni as Louis Pasteur and Emile Zola and then again in The Good Earth back before the war. This tempted me to take this film home to view. Not Muni's best job but a very good job of playing a strong centered character as the teacher. This was a colored film and well done for its early attempt at great costuming. The long range scenes were poor by todays standard but not enough of them to notice. The high light of the entire film is the splendid piano playing of Jose Iturbi. Just listening to the music alone is worth the movie.

I have always admired Fredric March as an actor. This roll showed his great versatility. The writing and editing of Mark Twain's life into this movie makes it one of the finest biographical movies of all time. The soliloquy by the chancellor of Oxford, played by C. Abrey Smith, encapsulates the life of Twain, better than any I've heard or read since. This movie is a must for any student of American literature.

I feel one of the great strengths of this movie are the actors who played in the supporting character rolls. Joan Leslie, who must at this time only of been a teen ager, as York's wife. Margaret Wycherly as his mother was most compelling. Walter Brennan was just simply great. Add in George Tobias and Ward Bond to help cement the story and you see how they gave Gary Cooper the power of the main character.

When I saw this movie, it caught me in the right mood to really enjoy this film. In fact, I was almost misty eyed when Helen turns to lament the song "Love Look Away". Only "Where is Love?" from OLIVER is a more moving emotional song that fits directly into the story and the movie. I think the acting is superb and can't understand why this R & H musical doesn't attract more attention.

The historical event that prompts this epic movie is well shown. The filming of the scene is outstanding. There is only one other war movie that has as great of individual character development as this and it is "The Caine Mutiny". Nigel Green will always be, in my mind, the epitome of the English "stiff upper lip at all costs" with his portrayal of Sgt. Bourne. The entire cast portrayed each individual with outstanding clarity. Special kudos to Stanley Baker. The music was a chilling prelude through out and by itself could stand alone.

I had seen this movie when I was a boy (Before WWII) and was surprised that the local library had a copy. Saw it again after some sixty years and forgot how bad it was. This is an example of a movie that was not a "A" movie. No editing, poor script, weak acting and not much directing. Should not even be as high as a "B" Had a laugh at how jaded I've become over the years. Seems to me I thought it was good when I originally saw it.

Very interesting concept on life, love and the hereafter. Made the mistake of see this on TV. DON"T DO THAT! See this where and when you can watch it uninterrupted. It's too complex and the story line hard to follow if it is interrupted. Unusual lighting effects. Good acting, as you would expect with this cast.

While watching a mundane modern movie (The Runaway Bride) with my granddaughter (age 22) she asked me "Since you've been watching movies since 1938, what is the greatest movie of your lifetime?" Boy! What a choice that is! It took me all summer of thought and relooking a some flicks before I made my decision. It is "THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES". This movie has no flaws. It is one movie in which each one of the minor characters part and dialog is essential to the whole story. There is not a single part in the film which could be left out. The young girl's fixation with her brothers lack of hands, the man coming home to young adult children who have grown up without him and with different ideas, the portrayal of a young man whose only responsiblity was as a soda jerk who became the leader of a group of men, and was awarded medals for his action. A women who must now adjust to the husband who's life has been away from her for years. The realization of the folks who were in the safety of there secure homes of the sacrifices these ordinary men made in their behalf. The look into the life of loving and living with a man without hands. A parents first look and reaction to their son's new deformities. A man used to making life and death decision in a instant, having to return to the way of plodding though a conservative bank's loan structure. This is no sympathetic, tear jerking, heart strumming act. THIS WAS REAL LIFE! It could not have been portrayed any different. This, my friends, is HOW IT WAS!! This could easily be considered a documentary. In this day of color film, please do not be turned off by the black and white because it is one of the finest B/W filming, editing and directing you will ever see. The casting was perfect. If I could, I would make it compulsory for anyone taking history, film making, creative writing, sociology, family counciling or psychology to view and report on this magnificent example of the film makers art.

William Holden and Ricky Schroder do a superb job of acting. They played off of one another very well. Schroder is great for a 10 year old boy. This movie came out 21 years before I saw it so I was bias by it being dated. I think I still see it for what it was suppose to be. The screen writing or editing was inconsistent. This caused the story to jump and was erratic. I'd bet there was more continuity to the film, but it was left on the cutting room floor. The background and setting was outstanding. The filming could be viewed without dialog. Recommended for all ages.

As a ex-sailor, I found the filming and effects to be great. The story line was very thin and poorly presented. The actors did all they could.

Once again the actors did all they could to a very weak story line.

This idea should have had more emotion and less just sitting around. I have watched Sandra Bullock several times before and feel she almost didn't even want to be in this movie. This was not up to her usual fine acting.