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pakhuntz
Reviews
Crime of Passion (1956)
ATROCIOUS
Having not seen the film before, my thoughts were that with Stanwyck, Burr, and Hayden, along with character actor Dano and Fay Wray, how could I go wrong? The actors were wasted on this disjointed script, and the drivel that takes place is almost unwatchable. Some examples: Stanwyck saying I only want to make you happy and hope all your socks have holes so i can darn them then all day. And where was the building up to the marriage. They met, and in 5 minutes were married. The movie builds nothing, things just happen as if the director was on a LSD trip. AVOID.
The Decks Ran Red (1958)
Lame, predictable, except for Dorothy Dandridge
Lame and predictable film with James Mason incredibly miscast as captain of the ship. you know immediately that Broderick Crawford will be the instigator of trouble as he always was and the outcome shows no surprises.
The best part of the film is the voluptuous Dorothy Dandridge who displays her charms that would make any crew mutiny for her. As as the custom in the 50's, she is married to a man who is twice her age which also makes the film sadly lacking.
Better to see James Mason in his other films in which he portrays a much more realistic person.
The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961)
ATROCIOUS
As an afficinado of Sci-Fi movies from the 50's, especially the ones that are so bad they are good, The Beast of Yucca flats is the worst acted, directed, and scripted movie i have ever seen. People standing straight(with no gun) to others can get a good shot at them, then people you can see saying to themselves, "Oh yes, I'm shot, i need to fall down." Police climbing over dangerous cliffs to get to a cave that the bad guy walks into carrying a girl when he can barely walk on flat ground. seeing in the distance flat ground at the opening of the cave for miles that the police must have missed. Amother and father losing their kids while changing a tire in the middle of nowhere where you can see for miles, then the mother calling in a whisper for them. And for 110 degree heat, I never saw anyone sweat. of course, they were all so "cool" actors.....
The Amos 'n Andy Show (1951)
One of the funniest comedies ever.
Seeing the amos N andy show in reruns when i was 5 in the late 50's in new york, i remembered some of the funniest shows I had ever seen. Having recently obtained the 73 shows known to be in existence, I am still laughing uproariously. It is a shame more people have not been exposed to these fine actors and the hilarious sketches they perform. It is also distinguished by the first show in TV history to have blacks perform in white collar occupations such as judges, lawyers, business owners and the like. if the Kingfisher isn't one of the most talented comedians in early TV, i don't know who is. The rubbery face and big sad eyes made him perfect for this part. The kingfisher was not the main performer in the radio program, but became so in the TV series. He is really the first actor to become prominant in a TV program where he was not intended to be when the stories were originally written. much the same as fonzi became the star at Happy Days. if you do not see these most funny shows, you are missing some of the early and funniest history of TV.
Let's Try Again (1934)
AWFUL
The movie goes in circles and the actors and actresses must have been loathing to do perform in it that anyone could take it seriously. One of the big stinkers, BUT well worth watching the first third to Irene Hervey, surely one of the most beautiful women in her day, in a very form-fitting leather, sharkskin gown.
You Can't Take It with You (1938)
One of the best comedies ever made
What marked Frank Capra movies for greatness was the fact that he was able to intermix comedy with poignancy, and the harshness of life all into one. This movie certainly does that as it is extremely funny with the crazy people who live together, then shows how life can beat you down, and then shows you how to beat it. many people say his movies are corny. Not so. they portray the reality of how life really is and for 1938, it was very difficult. His movies also show how simple life can be if you don't get involved in too many intracacies. (A lost art in itself.) As a person who was not living in 1938, but have several relatives who were adults and are still living from that era, it is a comedy that can identify with many people's problems from that time. It is a movie reflective of Frank Capra's values of getting to where he was by hard work, instead of people going to college to make movies and today give us nothing but a lot of noise and flashing lights and who have always had it easy and have nothing in their background to show anything.
Go, Johnny, Go! (1959)
The recording artists make this all worthwhile.
A very vapid plot with the "worst kind of juvenile delinquent" really a choir boy he portrays in one scene.However the music and being able to see the performers, many of whom you won't see elsewhere, more than make up for it. The Cadillacs, Jo ann Campbell, chuck berry, Jackie Wilson, et al are all worth the price of admission. Sandy Stewart does a wonderful job with "Heavenly father." The simpleness portrayed in the 50's to bring you the artists is really fun to watch today, especially for the music lover.