Sunday, March 18, 2012

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) - Disney Pirates on Parade

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd film poster
"Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd" (1952).

 If you think that serious British actors were all stuffed shirts without a sense of humor, you need to see director Charles Lamont's "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd" (1952). Charles Laughton was arguably the best actor (not movie star - actor) of the 20th Century, and here he shows a real feel for comedy. Playing violently against type, he alone makes this into something worth watching. I watched this film because I wanted to get another dose of Laughton after viewing the original "Captain Kidd." Well, I got a lot more than I bargained for. "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd" is one of those films that you sit through, dumbfounded, as you see some very strange antics. However, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are hilarious as usual if you give them a chance.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd Charles Laughton Hillary Brooke Bud Abbott
They always go for the short, fat ones.

All of the sets in "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd" look like they belong down in Orlando at Disney World. Everything is dumbed down for the young crowd, with cute little hand-drawn treasure maps and yo-ho-ho pirate outfits.  The boys bring along the goddess from their TV show of the time, Hillary Brooke, who as usual intimidates but beguiles Lou as lady pirate "Captain Bonney" (real pirate Anne Bonny). Brooke is fitted out to look like she should be slinging drinks down on the Disney World pirate boat ride. She stands a good half-foot taller than Lou due to her high heels despite the fact that in reality she was only an inch taller, which plays into the sight gags, of course.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd Charles Laughton Hillary Brooke
Charles Laughton and Hillary Brooke in "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd."

Naturally, Hillary plays into the usual Abbott and Costello TVshow riff (on which she was appearing at the time) where the pretty girl develops a huge jealous crush on Lou. She's the prettiest thing in the film - no, make that the ONLY pretty thing - and that counts for an awful lot. Brooke is quite fetching in a lady pirate way, and, if it weren't for the awesomely hammy Charles Laughton, she would have stolen this picture right out from under Abbott & Costello's feet.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd Charles Laughton Hillary Brooke
Lady Jane, spreading her legs confidently in "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd."

Make no mistake, "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd" isn't the absolute best Abbott and Costello comedy. The film print that you usually find online is absolutely horrendous, and the gags are even lamer than usual. But Laughton is a riot if you don't take him at all seriously, which requires some serious switching of gears if you are a Laughton fan. He mugs unmercifully every chance he gets and makes asides to the audience commenting on the proceedings. In fact, half the film seems to consist of his reaction shots to the boys' routines. The other half is him bellowing every chance he gets. This, along with his other Kidd performance and his work as Captain Bligh, inspired countless imitators over the years, in which characters clearly patterned after Laughton do nothing but strut around and speak in hammy pirate-ese ("Argh, me matey, if you disobey me it would be a shame to have to RUN YOU THROUGH. AH HAHAHAHAHA."). Like that. So, this film did have influence because Laughton goes way, way over the top, and I'm sure intentionally so.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd Charles Laughton Bud Abbott Lou Costello
Charles Laughton was quite a good sport about things in "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd."

I could do without the musical numbers in "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd," but they do contribute to the whole Disney feel of the film. They also give Abbott and Costello a chance to mug for the camera while half-heartedly making fun of the serious singing (and strange accordion playing). Being at all serious in an Abbott and Costello film is like turning yourself into a clay pigeon and throwing yourself into the air in front of a row of skeet shooters.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd lobby card
This is up there for best Lobby Card in film history.

Did I mention that most copies of "Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd" are terrible? Oh yes, I did. Well, it bears repeating. Find a good copy and don't be dissuaded by copies with dim lighting and the like. But even with poor copies, you should get a laugh now and then if you aren't too demanding. And Hilary Brooke really is blazingly attractive.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd film poster
"Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd."


Charade (1963) - A Romantic Hunt in Paris

Charade 1963 poster
"Charade" (1963).

In Stanley Donen's "Charade" (1963), Cary Grant stars as - somebody - who is pursuing - or being pursued by - Regina Lampert, played by the enchanting Audrey Hepburn. "Reggie," as Grant calls her, is soon to find out that her entire world has imploded, and that nothing is left but an airline bag containing a key, an appointment book, a toothbrush, and an unmailed letter to her. But everybody seems to think she has a fortune, and the hunt is on to find the funds.

Charade 1963 poster
Ah, Paris!!!!  Cary would have made a fine Bond. In fact, his performance in "North By Northwest" is considered an inspiration for the entire Hollywood "spy" trend of the 1960s. 

This is one of those delightful films that they made from around World War II until the mid-Sixties, full of romance, comedy and confusion. Everybody's identity, it seems, is in question, and there are running gags about men being killed in their pajamas, a sneezing crook and the like. It stands up there with "North By Northwest," "My Fair Lady," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," and "Sabrina" as a sophisticated take on modern life which seems to be about everything but what it really is - romance.

Charade 1963 Audrey Hepburn Cary Grant
OK, look at Audrey Hepburn.  Can you guess the year? She and Cary Grant got on very well together while filming "Charade."

Scenes set in the Alps are beautiful, but the real action takes place in Paris. Hepburn looks completely at home there, and never loses a sense of being the one adult among a gang of squabbling boys arguing about some trifle. It is Hepburn at her most bewitching, seducing the charming seducer while never knowing quite who he is. Grant shows his flair for adventure laced with romantic comedy, especially in his final scene when he makes one of the classic funny faces in all of cinema. You can feel the genuine attraction between these two, Grant and Hepburn, it's a shame they only worked together on this one film.

Charade 1963 James Coburn
Come on, pass the milk or you'll get it! James Coburn plays "Tex" in "Charade."

Add in a sinister James Coburn in quite possibly his finest role (and check out that last look on his face!), Walter Matthau as a looming but largely hidden presence throughout, and George Kennedy as the model for about half-a-dozen James Bond film villains, and you have "the best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made." I found the greatest similarity with Hitchcock here not in the suspense area (complete with one of the master's "MacGuffins,") though that resonates too, but rather in the vivid rendering of the Hepburn/Grant relationship. The playful flirting banter between them recalls the train scenes between Grant and Eva Marie Saint in "North By Northwest." "Charade," in fact, almost feels like a continuation of that Hitchcock masterpiece. Director Stanley Donen and writer Peter Stone deserved so much more credit than they ever received for this underrated gem.

Charade 1963 George Kennedy
George Kennedy, is he the killer in "Charade"?

It's all about the atmosphere, Paris at its most intimate. We even get to take a ride with Hepburn and Grant on one of those sightseeing boats that still ply the Seine.  Stanley Donen directs with a sure hand, rightfully making Paris itself the key to the mystery. The score by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer is wonderfully low key and transports you to the river right there with them. If you ever wondered why Hepburn became an icon, with those classic posters from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" still selling briskly, this film is part of her mystique. She was perfection with her almost resigned but still hopeful search for a worthy man. You, too, may fall under her spell.

Charade 1963 Cary Grant Audrey Hepburn
Cary was born to play this role in "Charade."

Highly recommended, a perfect film for a couple with elements that both should enjoy. "Charade" largely had been (unfairly) forgotten because nobody has an interest in promoting it - the copyright lapsed early because of a truly bone-headed mistake by the production staff - but it a true classic from the early '60s. Cary Grant could still do it, and he maneuvers between being deliciously hammy and deadly serious in a way that few actors then or now can achieve. A great way to spend an evening.


No Man of Her Own (1932) - A Sexy Little Film

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own

"No Man of Her Own" (1932), directed by Wesley Ruggles and starring Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, has a distinctly modern look to it. Gable, playing rakish gambler "Babe," is extremely open and obvious about his intentions towards Carole Lombard, playing librarian Connie Randall in a small town where Babe is hiding out from the law. Lombard, in turn, is fantastically open and frank about her own passions towards him in a "girl talk" conversation with her fellow librarian. Eventually, Carole dances in her underwear, and Gable is shown in a very unfavorable light as a cheater at cards, which only enhances his rakishness.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
How elegant, but Clark, watch those hands!

There's no doubt that this film was playing to the crowd, which was hurting badly during the Great Depression and searching for any kind of enjoyment. There are hints of this throughout the film - Carole is shown throwing dice with the newsboy before heading to the dull job that she needs to pay the rent, while Gable fleeces some stuffed shirts without any hint of remorse. The air of desperation in Lombard's eyes as she contemplates Gable as her possible ticket out of Boredom, USA is palpable, and her own lust for something more is shown frankly and openly.

Clark and Carole strike up their acquaintance over a library desk.

When, overcome with desire, she squeaks out the 1930s catch-phrase "See you in church," you know that's the last place she would want to meet him. Overall, this is one of the best films ever to deal with female passion, and one whose very openness some blame for the reactionary crowd's imposition of the dreadful Hayes Code a couple of years later.   

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
They really went for the hard sell in promoting "No Man of her Own."

This film has some of the sexiest scenes from the 1930s. It is perhaps the best-known "forgotten" film of all time. That is because it is the only on-screen pairing of Carole Lombard and Clark Gable, who of course later got married and had a lively and ultimately tragic romance that Hollywood has made many films about, including some fairly recently. Pretty much any time the topic of Gable and Lombard comes up, they show clips from this film, even though they supposedly didn't hook up until years later. Unless you are a film historian or fan of old movies, you are very unlikely to have ever heard of it, much less seen it. But it is a vital part of screen history.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
So, who won the Yankees game last night?

Clark Gable, looking incredibly young and without his later mustache, exhibits a dapper charm seldom seen on the screen before or since. Carole Lombard never looked better, and there is obvious chemistry between the two.  Legend has it that she sent pointedly sent him a ham after wrapping the film, which is its own kind of subtle female flirtation. "No Man" shows how much we missed because of the prudish Hayes film censorship code that came into effect a couple of years after this film.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
No bra, scandalous! Lombard was no shrinking violet herself, she had done topless shoots years earlier. This sort of promotional shot, though, disappeared after the Hayes code went into effect a couple of years later.

The plot really doesn't matter much, but for what it's worth, Gable plays a NYC card sharp who meets attractive but mousy - apparently - librarian Carole in a sleepy upstate, NY town (upstate New York was considered the depths of rural simplicity in those days). The highlight of the film is the seduction scene in Lombard's library, with Gable taking chances with her that today most likely would land him in jail.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
Clark Gable's "Babe" has definite ideas about what he wants.

But the scene works perfectly, thanks to Lombard, who certainly knew how to play a smitten woman resisting only because she "should." If you only want to watch about five minutes of 1930s cinema, those are the minutes to watch, and yes, that includes anything from "Gone With the Wind." Do you really think there is a chance that Lombard can resist Gable's technique?

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
Best Train scene ever, definitely borrowed by Hitchcock in "North By Northwest."

A favorite scene is Lombard prancing around her apartment in her underwear, still a sexy scene all these years later. Other terrific scenes follow, particularly one at Lombard's home where she practically swoons over Gable, but the sexual tension gradually goes down from there. Lombard awakening in the train car going down to NYC foreshadows a similar one in Hitchcock's 1958 "North By Northwest," if not also the aforementioned "Gone with the Wind" (a scene which, I think, strongly suggests that Lombard, who desperately wanted the part, could have handled the Scarlett O'Hara role just fine, thank you very much).

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
"I think I'll take that big book that's way up high and where you have to lean over to get it for me."

From that point, though, we get more comedy than romance, and there isn't a whole lot of comedy. We do get humorous shots of the two taking individual showers. Ultimately, though, the film devolves into rather mundane complications with Gable's "job" hustling naive card players, pretending to have a day job, and so forth. It is pretty obvious from that point how this film is going to wind up.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
Pretty naughty attire for a librarian. This is a crazy scene, with Lombard dancing with herself.

The easy thing to do would have been to end the film before Gable returns to everyday life. I'm sure they could have extended the seduction scenes out and concluded with the certainty of a wedding. "No Man," though, bravely ventures to show the "and they lived happily ever after" part, which has all sorts of bumps in the road. That makes the film a bit uneven and introduces a decided change in tone about midway through, not particularly for the good. But I enjoyed the second half, too. It's just different and rather formulaic.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
Carole Lombard is so naughty!

There are humorous aspects throughout, but I hesitate to label this a plain comedy, or, for that matter, a "screwball" comedy. It is neither of those things. It is more a romantic comedy, with the emphasis on "romantic." Lombard is delectable. I have a difficult (though not impossible by any means) time finding female stars of the '30s attractive because of the fussy fashions and mannerisms of the day, but there's no problem with Carole Lombard in this film. She is the real deal, quite attractive by any standard.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
A modern DVD case for "No Man of Her Own."

Legend has it that Gable and Lombard kept their distance during filming while off-camera. She hated being loaned out by her studio, and was happily married to William Powell. He reportedly gifted her with a pair of ballerina slippers with a note that said, "To a true primadonna," while she gave him a canned ham with his picture attached. They never starred in another film again.

Clark Gable Carole Lombard No Man of Her Own
Carole had such beautiful hair.

Gable and Lombard went on to have their very own romance years after this film wrapped. Strangely enough, after starring with Gable while not dating him and being married to Powell, Lombard later starred with Powell in "My Man Godfrey" after divorcing him but while dating Gable.

"No Man of Her Own" with Gable and Lombard is recommended for romantics of all ages. Don't confuse this with the 1950 Barbara Stanwyck film of the same name, a soaper which is nothing special unless you are a big Babs fan.


The Sting (1973) - One of the Top Soundtracks Ever, And a Fun Ride

The Sting 1973 poster
"The Sting" (1973).

I nitpick in this review, but I want to emphasize up front that I like "The Sting" (1973) a lot. It isn't quite the classic that it could have been with a slightly better script, but the performances and the direction by George Roy Hill are outstanding and the period atmosphere is terrific and convincing. One must suspend belief a lot, but it's a fun ride and well worth your time.

Classic films have it all, great sound, great cinematography, great actors with chemistry, and an involving plot. "The Sting" qualifies. Paul Newman and Robert Redford light up the screen. Redford carries the picture, while Newman orchestrates the proceedings. Newman, in fact, in places wonderfully echoes his "Fast Eddie" character from "The Hustler" of a decade before. The film also has one of the best supporting casts in film history, led by Ray Walson, Harold Gould and Charles Durning. Old pros, every single one of them.

The visuals of old Chicago are gorgeous, and the plot and visual clues (note the gloves holding the steering wheel, then later turning out the light on the night stand) reward repeated viewings. The soundtrack is one of the classics of all time, up there with the zither music from "The Third Man" and the themes from "Jaws" and "Psycho." So, everyone should see "The Sting." I can't imagine many people would fail to enjoy it. But I have some reservations which you may notice, too.

The Sting 1973 Robert Redford Charles Durning
Robert Redford and Charles Durning.

First and foremost, it strains credulity that the mob boss who first appears running his organization by remote control from New York, Doyle Lonnegan (brilliantly played by Robert Shaw), would get involved directly in the shady scheme that is at the heart of this film. I could see him participating in high stakes poker games on trains, that was something gentlemen did in those days. But then to get swept up into idling around spartan coffee shops waiting for phone calls, just to make a few bucks and get revenge on someone he barely knows? Come on. I know you can build justifications for this - he really, really wanted to take down Paul Newman's Gondorff character, and that was the way to do it - but that bothers me every time I see the film. It seems odd that a mob boss as big as Lonnegan would not find it, um, curious to suddenly find a big racketeer like Gondorff operating in his own territory. Lonnegan seems awfully naive about a wire con that, according to the scam artists themselves, became obsolete years before. And isn't it awfully convenient that Lonnegan is coming to, or at least returning to, Chicago just when Newman needs him to?

The Sting 1973 Robert Redford Paul Newman
Robert Redford and Paul Newman in "The Sting."

Second, the plot is a bit too slick at times. Every possible source of problems is anticipated and eliminated, even highly remote ones. Geez, these guys should work for NASA! People who aren't part of the team, like Detective Snyder (what is he even doing there, shouldn't he be back in Joliet? Oh yes, he's on "vacation"), unwittingly are used to carry out crucial parts of the scam (in this case, escorting Lonnegan out of the scam premises). I like a good con, but if these guys are that good, knowing exactly how strangers will react to everything, they should be solving the theory of relativity or something. And all the locations and people hired must have cost a bundle, who was financing all this during the Great Depression? Never mind the key poker game that sets the rest of the plot in motion, when Paul Newman cheats the cheater despite being under intense observation by a roomful of people.

Third, I find it odd that Lonnegan should be consorting with Redford's Hooker character at the same time that he has someone trying to kill him. It is overly confusing and unrealistic. If Lonegan's killer knows all about Hooker's whereabouts, why wouldn't Lonnegan be told that Hooker actually is the guy Lonnegan wants killed? That's a giant assumption, that the hired killer is not going to communicate with Lonnegan, and also won't see Lonnegan and Hooker hanging out together like old chums (which happens often, right in the open).

The Sting 1973 Robert Shaw Robert Redford
Robert Redford is taken for a ride by Robert Shaw in "The Sting."

I could go on, but I'm sure you get my drift. I just want to point out that the script, while outstanding, is not airtight. All risk of the con going wrong is eliminated in some areas, but not in others. The con itself, which is the heart of the movie, thus leaves me cold and is a bit of a let-down.

Now you probably think I dislike the film, or at least don't sufficiently appreciate it. But I do appreciate it, and love the film. Everything else about the film is wonderful, and more than makes up for the somewhat lightweight plot. This easily is one of the best films of the 1970s, a wonderful decade for film. See it!


Dirty Harry (1971) - Culmination of the Sniper Film

Dirty Harry 1971 poster
"Dirty Harry" (1971).

Around 1970, there was a feeling among ordinary citizens that things were spiraling out of control. Protests, the Vietnam war, an errant economy, all contributed to a sense that something wasn't quite right. Some welcomed the turmoil and even encouraged it.  Others, however, liked order and security, and were looking for someone to step up and take control.

Hollywood, always looking to fill a need, pounced.  First came "Dirty Harry" (1971) with Clint Eastwood, and then Charles Bronson in "Death Wish" a few years later. Both characters became iconic and spawned multiple sequels, but today, everybody knows the name of Clint's character. Do you remember the name of Bronson's character? It doesn't matter - because he is not a man, but an archetype. By this point in his career, Clint Eastwood himself was an archetype, the lone avenger with a sense of justice and compassion, but focused on his mission in such a way that absolutely nothing will stand in the way of accomplishing it.

It is fascinating watching certain cinematic trends, because they reflect where we have been (and perhaps going) as a society. This film takes police procedurals to a completely different level than any before it, and started a genre of "lone avenger" tales that lasted for decades and never really left us. "Dirty Harry" is raw entertainment meat, served to the masses hungry for someone, anyone to take on the social problems that had been wracking the country. At a primal level, it filled the void caused by the decline of the Western.

Dirty Harry 1971 Clint Eastwood

Comparing this to "The Sniper" from 1952, Peter Bogdanovich's "Targets" starring Tim O'Kelly from 1968 and some similar films illustrates the evolution of the crazed-killer-hunted-down theme. The subtle differences show the choices Director Don Siegel made in "Dirty Harry" that made it such an iconic hit. "The Sniper" is particularly interesting because it is set in precisely the same spot as "Dirty Harry," San Francisco, and "Harry" is almost a remake of "Sniper." The point in comparing the films is that the same police department and its response is portrayed in wildly different fashions in the two films. The only difference is one of time, of milieu, of what has happened in the intervening years.

Dirty Harry 1971 Clint Eastwood
In the Dirty Harry series, it was ALL about the weapon, which became a star in its own right.

In "The Sniper," sniper Eddie Miller is shown as a troubled, almost sympathetic character. He just wants to be found and understood - he even leaves the police notes pleading for them to find and stop him. There are vignettes attempting to show why he is disturbed - little children demean him, attractive women humiliate him. A police psychologist hammers the point home throughout the film that the gunman is simply sick and in need of help. And everything we see of Eddie confirms that indeed, he is just a sad loner who needs to be found and helped. Ultimately, the SFPD find some clues, and we are left with the hope that the poor fellow might be helped.

Dirty Harry 1971 Clint Eastwood Andrew Robinson
Harry doesn't take guff from some punk in "Dirty Harry."

Hitchcock's "Psycho" took the basic premise of "The Sniper" and made the murderer creepier, but at least explainable. While not actually a sniper, Norman Bates might as well be, since he operates hidden in the dark, picking off random passing strangers at the sinister Bates Motel. The fear factor is increased, and the clean-cut killer ultimately appears bizarre and weird, but there remains hope that his problem can be resolved. No sympathy is wasted on the killer (except perhaps by the psychiatrist at the end), but at least he is shown as a human being. As in "The Sniper," nothing great is at stake due to this sad mama's boy doing dirty deeds in his dark corner of the world.

Dirty Harry 1971 Clint Eastwood
Harry Callahan, remaining in control despite chaos all around.

"Dirty Harry" came along, though, and completed the transition of the sniper from understandable, sad-sack killer who just needed to be figured out to a wild-eyed crazy with no understanding or motivation, just someone who threatens everything we hold dear and must be exterminated like a bug. Partly that is due to the fact that in the Fifties, when "The Sniper" was released, the idea that somebody would suddenly pick up a rifle and start randomly shooting was so alien that reasons for this strange behavior had to be offered - nobody could be that bad. By the late Sixties, though, so much civil violence and unrest had taken place that there was no need to explain the shooter, he just had to be eliminated with extreme prejudice. It was widely understood then by the public that there were psychopaths running loose who just wanted to kill. Boris Karloff's 1968 "Targets" similarly shows a mindless killer on the loose, though without the "Dirty Harry" theatrics and with some slight attempts to create a character to flesh out the killer.

Dirty Harry 1971 Andrew Robinson
Harry was blessed with idiot villains. Andrew Robinson in a truly thankless role - of a lifetime. He later played Garak in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

In "Harry," no background is given about the sniper, played by Andrew Robinson, and nobody really seems to care about his motivations. He is what he is, a killer, a wild animal who needs to be be stopped or stepped on, like a cockroach. He babbles incoherently when cornered, and games the system by shouting loudly about his "rights." Who will stop him? Certainly not the weak and ineffectual police department or Mayor's Office, the modern version of the weaklings huddled in the church refusing to help the Sheriff. Harry knows he has to do whatever it takes to stop the sniper because he is not just attacking individuals, he represents a larger cultural assault on society itself. As in "High Noon," it is our hero lawman who saves civilization.

Dirty Harry 1971 Clint Eastwood
The Italian poster for "Dirty Harry" - they kep the original name because the film had received so much publicity.

Harry is a paternal gunfighter of the Old West. Instead of Indians or killers released from prison, he subdues crazed psychos on the loose. Interfering Sheriffs and Marshals or weakling townspeople who just get in the way are replaced by a bumbling SF political bureaucracy. Observant viewers will notice a throwaway line spoken by Callahan, "That'll be the day" - which any fan of Westerns know comes straight out of the mouth of John Wayne in "The Searchers." "Dirty Harry" thus reverts from modern "understand the criminal" thinking to straight-up, kill-the-savages Westerns. There is a hunger in the public imagination for a powerful protector who uses his killing skills for good, and not evil. "Dirty Harry" was the first popular film to make the transition complete, followed by the "Death Wish" films (note how in "Death Wish," Charles Bronson's mild-mannered architect actually travels to the old West of Arizona to get his gun and complete his transition from victim to avenger).

Dirty Harry 1971 Clint Eastwood Don Siegel
Clint Eastwood talks things over with director Don Siegel. Clint directed his own first film, "Play Misty for Me," in 1971 as well.

Incidentally, in "Starship Troopers," another Western transported to other times and locales, the trend circles back. The simple kill-the-enemy philosophy of "Dirty Harry" returns to "The Sniper's" earlier formula with the phrase, "We must understand the bugs." This is not nearly as cathartic, and certainly takes more thought than simply pulling the trigger while tossing off "Do you feel lucky, punk?" quips. It reveals a little about where Director Paul Verhoeven of "Troopers" stood on this issue and what he was really trying to say with that film.

The Western never left us. It became transmuted into the policeman-as-lone-gunfighter "Dirty Harry" line of films and its successors. And I can't say that's bad, because this is a very enjoyable film for anybody who enjoys lots of action and the triumph of simple good over pure, and easy to understand, evil. The recurrent rumors of yet another "Dirty Harry" sequel show the power of the "Dirty Harry" formula.


D.O.A. (1950) - A Fine, Classic Film Noir

Edmond O'Brien D.O.A. 1950 film poster
"D.O.A." (1950).


Edmond O'Brien D.O.A. 1950


1947 Olds 66 D.O.A. 1950
That is a 1947 Olds 66 in this exquisite street scene.


Woman smoking D.O.A. 1950
"D.O.A." is film noir at its height.


Deserted warehouse D.O.A. 1950


Neville Brand Edmond O'Brien D.O.A. 1950
Neville Brand, classic tough guy in "D.O.A."


Neville Brand Edmond O'Brien D.O.A. 1950

Jack Ruby Lee Harvey Oswald D.O.A. 1950
Thirteen years later.


Neville Brand D.O.A. 1950




Foreign Agent (1942) - Lightweight WWII Spy Tale

Foreign Agent 1942 poster
"Foreign Agent" (1942).

Gale Storm ("Mitzi Mayo") and John Shelton ("Jimmy") star as ordinary American private citizens who happen to work in the film industry in this routine spy story set in WWII Los Angeles. They find out about a German/Japanese spy ring that is trying to steal a new searchlight designed by Mitzi's father (killed by the spies) and also plotting to support a supposed Japanese raid on Los Angeles. When this film was made, such a raid was eminently possible, and in fact, some still wonder why the Japanese never bothered. So the plot of "Foreign Agent" (1942), directed by William Beaudine, was ripped right out of the day's headlines.

Foreign Agent 1942 title card
"Foreign Agent" title card.

The only real innovation in the plot is that Mitzi and her man are actors who are adept at foreign accents. This comes into play at a key moment at the film's end, and is the only real twist in the entire film. Otherwise, there is a lot of talking and the usual Hollywood effort to call into question the motives of anyone who spoke out against the war (see "Spy Ship" for another 1942 example of this) by having the Germans use an "America First" type of organization as cover for their evil deeds. There also is a curious scene with a specific purpose: a first-generation American whose family was still back in mother Russia stands up to some German thugs at a rally.  The fact that he is the spitting image of Uncle Joe himself helped show support for new Ally the Soviet Union.

Foreign Agent 1942 stars

Both sides are using wiretaps on each other, and our heroes find out first and feed the bad guys false information. Too late, the bad guys find out they are being taped, too, and that leads to the plot's climax. For such a serious issue, though, the principals all seem to take things very lightly, which gives the film an almost carefree attitude to the whole subject. The Germans bumble around and act tough but ultimately aren't very frightening. The good guys appear to be freelancing without a whole lot of support from the Feds, who one might think would have a lot more people involved in chasing down suspected spies. But it is made very, very clear who are the good guys and who are bad - why, the bad guys are cheap and quibble over paying their killers an extra $50 a week! And the good guys are just decent, honest Americans who say they want to punch the bad guys "red, white and blue."

Foreign Agent 1942

Director William "One Take" Beaudine gets the story out without any unnecessary sub-plots or meandering - that was his style. Shoot it, print it, let's go have lunch. The film runs just over an hour, and the time passes fairly quickly. Not a lot happens, there are no surprises, and things are wrapped up nicely.

The sets of Hollywood look authentic, as if Beaudine just filmed his own studio buildings, and the characters' apartments look very realistic as well.  Given that Monogram was a poverty-row studio, Beaudine probably cut costs wherever he could and filmed at his actors' homes, with his own studio as a set, and so on.

Director William Beaudine, who made 350 films. He is better known for "Billy the Kid versus Dracula" (1966) and "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter" (1966).

Wait for Gale to sing the classic "It's Taps for the Japs" and you'll see a star in the making.

Gale has a curiously short resume for someone who was in the business for 50 years, and her career barely survived the 1950s due to a drinking problem.  She later went on to star in "My Little Margie" and, of course, "The Gale Storm Show" before winding up her career, like so many others, making "The Love Boat" and "Murder, She Wrote" appearances.  Her problems were far in the future when she made this film, though.  The 1940s were a terrific time for strong young starlets - energetic and talented but not necessarily blindingly attractive (and I know some will say they ALL were stunning, but let's be real - and Storm fit neatly into this category along with Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson and several others.

The film includes lots of reinforcement of the usual wartime admonitions - signs in the background read "Remember Pearl Harbor," and object lessons are given of the saying "Loose lips sink ships." A pleasant time killer that shows that Hollywood was behind the war effort, nothing more.