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Reviews
Billy Rose's Jumbo (1962)
Colorful, Entertaining, Good Songs, Wonderful Cast
Doris Day never ceases to amaze me. Wonderful actress with a great voice. And I LOVE Stephen Boyd. Was there ever a more handsome, sexy actor who could really act and had such a wide range?? And Martha Ray surprised me... I didn't know she could sing.
This is a feel-good film, a feast for the eyes, with wonderful songs, and great circus acts to boot. And there is actually a plot here too.
I would like to watch this film again, and recommend it to any fan of musicals, or anyone who loves the circus.
Raintree County (1957)
The movie is flawed, but well worth watching for romantics
There may be a spoiler or two in this review.
There are times when my judgment and my emotions do not coincide when it comes to movies, and Raintree County is a case in point. The plot is bloated. somewhat disjointed and too lengthy. The acting is not great, despite the fact that Elizabeth Taylor received an Oscar nomination for this film. Nevertheless, after I sort of forced myself to watch the entire film, I discovered that it captivated me, emotionally.
What got to me was the quality of the musical scoring and the essential story (love story and love triangle, set during the Civil War), and the indefinable connection to the land and the mystical Raintree, that the lead characters had.
The Liz Taylor character's progressive mental problems, and confusion about her own childhood and racial background all added to my interest in this film. Some reviewers have commented that the Liz Taylor character was supposed to be part black, and yet this is not true. A black slave who delivered Liz Taylor clearly states in the movie that she is born to a white mother and father. Watch the film to discover where her own racial confusion comes from... this is also an interesting twist to the plot.
I would say, the film is well worth watching, if you can get yourself to sit through the entire 2 hrs. and 50-some minutes.