Intro.
February is the month of love. Even though I hate Valentine's Day, I decided that the theme for posts this month would be Leading Men We Love. It's been a bit tough lately because of the blizzard that hit the whole state of Maryland, but between Netflix online and TCM, I've been able to put together a few films. I wasn't planning on watching The Guns of Navarone, but as it starred the always wonderful Gregory Peck, I decided to add it to my list.
Overview
The Allies are trying to save a group of 2,000 British prisoners from the island of Kiros. The only thing stopping them is the pair of gigantic anti-ship guns situated in the rocky cliffside of the island of Navarone. The fortress around the guns makes an air attack impossible, and the Allied ships don't have a chance against those guns. So the only solution is to send British officer Keith Mallory (Gregory Peck) with a team of the best fighters and explosives experts to Navarone, where they will climb a sheer cliff, meet up with a few Greek Resistance fighters and then make their way into the fortress and destroy the guns with explosives. No part of the mission goes smoothly - the ship they take on the way to the island sinks in a storm; they have to climb the cliff in the rain at night; the head British officer, Roy Franklin (played by Anthony Quayle) breaks his leg; they get captured by the Germans; and finally when they reach the fortress, they discover someone has destroyed all of the explosive devices. Through it all, Mallory must lead his men with conviction, even with the most difficult decisions and obstacles. The Allies win of course, and the ending is one of the most triumphant of all WWII films.
Highlights
The acting in this film is incredible. Anthony Quinn, as Col. Stavros, is outstanding as the friend/enemy of Mallory. You both love and fear him. Gregory Peck is at the top of his game as well and gives a commanding performance. He shows us how difficult his job is without saying so. Also worthy of note is the charming David Niven, whose witty remarks offer the necessary relief both for the men and the audience. Nivens plays the role of the chemistry professor turned anti-officer very well, and his role in figuring out who the traitor is reminded me of his work in murder mysteries (like The Pink Panther and Death on the Nile). His is the much needed foil for Gregory Peck's ramrod-like command, and together the two men truly lead the film.
Points of Note
Robert Osborn introduced this film as part of TCM's 31 days of Oscar. The Guns of Navarone won the Oscar for Best Special Effects, and was nominated for several more honors. The ending truly deserves the honor, as do all of the actors. David Niven reportedly had an accident on set which resulted in a split lip which got infected and sent him to the hospital for four weeks. And Gregory Peck, with his solid acting, had this film named as the highest-grossing picture in his career up to that point. Memorable on all fronts, perhaps the best is the way the film pays tribute to the real-life battles on the Dodecanese islands in Greece. While some of the story is elaborated or completely different from the true story, many elements remain (read more here).
Review
Often called the greatest war film of all time, The Guns of Navarone is definitely one of the most memorable. The fine cast and great effects has established it as an undeniable classic. There is enough action, intrigue and full character development to interest any viewer, and the unusual setting of Greece for a WWII film makes it even better. While it is not among my favorite WWII films (like The Great Escape), I still found the entire film very enjoyable and well worth watching. I recommend it to fans of Gregory Peck and fans of war films, particularly those set in WWII.
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label action. Show all posts
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Night Stage to Galveston (1952)
Intro.
Another of Gene's last Westerns, Night Stage to Galveston also feels more like a longer verison of one of his TV episodes. It's based on a little-known and interesting piece of Texas history. After the Civil War, Texas legislation had tried to pass a bill for three companies of Rangers, but when funding failed, they instead put together a group of State Police. As in most states, these State Police weren't trusted, leading to distrust among the residents. This sets the stage for Gene's picture.
Overview
Gene is one of the now-retired Texas Rangers, along with his friend Pat Buttram. They are working with Colonel Bellamy, who runs a newspaper with his daughter Ann. The town's been getting pushed around by the local State Police, who pretty much throw anyone they don't like in jail on false charges. When they kill a local rancher, Gene goes after them and shoots one of them in self-defense. He and Pat take in the dead rancher's little girl Cathy (Judy Nugent), and take her back to the Colonel. Gene, Pat and the Colonel come up with a plan to contact all of the old Rangers and have them gather as much proof of police corruption as possible. It almost works until the State Police steal the affadivts, kidnap Ann and Cathy and beat up the Colonel. It all culminates in a rip-roaring stagecoah hijacking by Gene and the re-establishment of the Rangers!
Highlights
As in most of his post-WWII films, there is less singing and more action. The plot is better than some of his later work, and the feature songs in this picture are great. Gene sings "Heart as Big as Texas" (one of my favorites!) and the theme of the movie, "Eyes of Texas" is a great, old Texas Ranger song. If it sounds familiar, it could be because the song was also used in the TV series Tales of the Texas Rangers and later was rewritten a bit as the theme song for Walker, Texas Ranger.
The supporting cast is great in this film as well (outside of Pat Buttram's chauvinistic lines about a woman's place). Colonel Bellamy is well played, as is the character of Cathy. Little Cathy (played by 12 year old Judy Nugent) is quite a scene-stealer and has a big part to play. Aside from hiding several times and overhearing the police plotting, she is also kidnapped with Ann and escapes by climbing out of a chimney. She gets Gene to come save Ann, then later on she saves the Colonel when he gets shot in the arm and ruptures his artery. Finally, Gene's horse Champion shares top billing with Gene. This film highlights what a beautiful horse he is during all of the great chase scenes.
Review
Gene's films usually lean towards comedy, singing or action. This one is heavy on the action, but has some comedy and singing too. If you can get past Pat's shenanigans, then I think you'll really appreciate this film. It's good, solid entertainment and a fine example of the singing cowboy Western.
Want to read more? Check out the Official Website of the Texas Rangers here.
Another of Gene's last Westerns, Night Stage to Galveston also feels more like a longer verison of one of his TV episodes. It's based on a little-known and interesting piece of Texas history. After the Civil War, Texas legislation had tried to pass a bill for three companies of Rangers, but when funding failed, they instead put together a group of State Police. As in most states, these State Police weren't trusted, leading to distrust among the residents. This sets the stage for Gene's picture.
Overview
Gene is one of the now-retired Texas Rangers, along with his friend Pat Buttram. They are working with Colonel Bellamy, who runs a newspaper with his daughter Ann. The town's been getting pushed around by the local State Police, who pretty much throw anyone they don't like in jail on false charges. When they kill a local rancher, Gene goes after them and shoots one of them in self-defense. He and Pat take in the dead rancher's little girl Cathy (Judy Nugent), and take her back to the Colonel. Gene, Pat and the Colonel come up with a plan to contact all of the old Rangers and have them gather as much proof of police corruption as possible. It almost works until the State Police steal the affadivts, kidnap Ann and Cathy and beat up the Colonel. It all culminates in a rip-roaring stagecoah hijacking by Gene and the re-establishment of the Rangers!
Highlights
As in most of his post-WWII films, there is less singing and more action. The plot is better than some of his later work, and the feature songs in this picture are great. Gene sings "Heart as Big as Texas" (one of my favorites!) and the theme of the movie, "Eyes of Texas" is a great, old Texas Ranger song. If it sounds familiar, it could be because the song was also used in the TV series Tales of the Texas Rangers and later was rewritten a bit as the theme song for Walker, Texas Ranger.
The supporting cast is great in this film as well (outside of Pat Buttram's chauvinistic lines about a woman's place). Colonel Bellamy is well played, as is the character of Cathy. Little Cathy (played by 12 year old Judy Nugent) is quite a scene-stealer and has a big part to play. Aside from hiding several times and overhearing the police plotting, she is also kidnapped with Ann and escapes by climbing out of a chimney. She gets Gene to come save Ann, then later on she saves the Colonel when he gets shot in the arm and ruptures his artery. Finally, Gene's horse Champion shares top billing with Gene. This film highlights what a beautiful horse he is during all of the great chase scenes.
Review
Gene's films usually lean towards comedy, singing or action. This one is heavy on the action, but has some comedy and singing too. If you can get past Pat's shenanigans, then I think you'll really appreciate this film. It's good, solid entertainment and a fine example of the singing cowboy Western.
Want to read more? Check out the Official Website of the Texas Rangers here.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Three Musketeers (1948)
Intro.
In one of my earlier posts, I had written about the 1921 version of The Three Musketeers, which had starred Douglas Fairbanks. I had commented about Gene Kelly seeing that version and wanting to someday play d'Artagnan. I finally got the chance to see the 1948 remake with Gene Kelly, and I have to say you can definitely see Fairbanks's influence.
Overview
The plot of the first hour of this film follows the original pretty closely (see the prior post). However, where the first film ended with the safe return of the jewels, this one extended the storyline to include the whole of the original novel. D'Artagnan returns to find each of his fellow musketeers where he had left them en route to London, and once reunited they have to find a way to earn some money. D'Artagnan runs into the Lady de Winter and that's where things get interesting. He pretends to be her lover in order to get her ring, and he discovers that on her shoulder is the brand of a convict. We then learn that she is the wife of Athos and has been using men and leading them to their deaths. She heads to London, where the Musketeers have warned the Duke of Buckingham. He jails her and has Constance (the innocent seamstress and D'Artagnan's wife) act as jailer. Lady de Winter feigns a serious illness and when Constance tries to help her, she kills Constance and a guard and flees back to France to seek out D'Artagnan and kill him too. D'Artagnan, however, is in London and finds Constance. He vows revenge, so with the help of his friends they find Lady de Winter and execute her in a very troubling, disturbing ending. At the end D'Artagnan gets what he's always wanted - a commission with the King's Musketeers.
Highlights
One of the things Gene Kelly does so well in this film is his sword fighting. Already an athlete and light on his feet as a dancer, he effortlessly goes from sword fight to sword fight in an almost comical manner. It does get a bit ridiculous when he fights the captain of Richelieu's guards, but his seemingly boundless energy keeps the film going. You do have to remember that d'Artagnan is only supposed to be 21, so it makes sense that he's a bit of a ham.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the other actors and actresses in this film. I didn't realize it until I started watching, but this film also stars Angela Lansbury, Vincent Price (as a fantastic Richelieu!!), Lana Turner, Frank Morgan and June Allyson. It also stars Van Heflin as Athos - he's an actor I hadn't seen much of previously, but I really enjoyed him in this role. He adds a certain vulnerability to his character which sets him apart from the other Musketeers.
Comparison
It puzzled me that this film ran 2 hours and the 1921 version ran 2 hours but the stories were so different. This version told in 1 hour what the 1921 version had done in 2 hours. It made the story much harder to follow, and if I hadn't seen the 1921 version, I wouldn't have understood any of what was happening. I missed the subtlety and development of character that was in the 1921 version. We hardly get to see or understand Angela Lansbury as the Queen, and Vincent Price as Richelieu doesn't get nearly enough screen time. I did enjoy seeing the entire story, though. And I can understand why the storyline of Lady de Winter may have been a concern. It is handled well in the remake and certainly toned down from the way the book was written.
Review
All in all, an entertaining film. I wouldn't recommend it as highly as other period films, mainly because the plot is hard to follow without previously knowing the story. Gene Kelly's stunts and sword fighting are great, but his acting is too over-the-top. I actually preferred the 1921 version, so if you like the book, start there. I hope to see one of the newer remakes as well; who knows, maybe I'll have a series. Meanwhile, if you're in the mood to watch some Gene Kelly, I'd recommend An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, It's Always Fair Weather (tap dancing on roller skates!!) and Inherit the Wind.
To read more, check out IMDb. There's also a brief write-up about the book here.
In one of my earlier posts, I had written about the 1921 version of The Three Musketeers, which had starred Douglas Fairbanks. I had commented about Gene Kelly seeing that version and wanting to someday play d'Artagnan. I finally got the chance to see the 1948 remake with Gene Kelly, and I have to say you can definitely see Fairbanks's influence.
Overview
The plot of the first hour of this film follows the original pretty closely (see the prior post). However, where the first film ended with the safe return of the jewels, this one extended the storyline to include the whole of the original novel. D'Artagnan returns to find each of his fellow musketeers where he had left them en route to London, and once reunited they have to find a way to earn some money. D'Artagnan runs into the Lady de Winter and that's where things get interesting. He pretends to be her lover in order to get her ring, and he discovers that on her shoulder is the brand of a convict. We then learn that she is the wife of Athos and has been using men and leading them to their deaths. She heads to London, where the Musketeers have warned the Duke of Buckingham. He jails her and has Constance (the innocent seamstress and D'Artagnan's wife) act as jailer. Lady de Winter feigns a serious illness and when Constance tries to help her, she kills Constance and a guard and flees back to France to seek out D'Artagnan and kill him too. D'Artagnan, however, is in London and finds Constance. He vows revenge, so with the help of his friends they find Lady de Winter and execute her in a very troubling, disturbing ending. At the end D'Artagnan gets what he's always wanted - a commission with the King's Musketeers.
Highlights
One of the things Gene Kelly does so well in this film is his sword fighting. Already an athlete and light on his feet as a dancer, he effortlessly goes from sword fight to sword fight in an almost comical manner. It does get a bit ridiculous when he fights the captain of Richelieu's guards, but his seemingly boundless energy keeps the film going. You do have to remember that d'Artagnan is only supposed to be 21, so it makes sense that he's a bit of a ham.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the other actors and actresses in this film. I didn't realize it until I started watching, but this film also stars Angela Lansbury, Vincent Price (as a fantastic Richelieu!!), Lana Turner, Frank Morgan and June Allyson. It also stars Van Heflin as Athos - he's an actor I hadn't seen much of previously, but I really enjoyed him in this role. He adds a certain vulnerability to his character which sets him apart from the other Musketeers.
Comparison
It puzzled me that this film ran 2 hours and the 1921 version ran 2 hours but the stories were so different. This version told in 1 hour what the 1921 version had done in 2 hours. It made the story much harder to follow, and if I hadn't seen the 1921 version, I wouldn't have understood any of what was happening. I missed the subtlety and development of character that was in the 1921 version. We hardly get to see or understand Angela Lansbury as the Queen, and Vincent Price as Richelieu doesn't get nearly enough screen time. I did enjoy seeing the entire story, though. And I can understand why the storyline of Lady de Winter may have been a concern. It is handled well in the remake and certainly toned down from the way the book was written.
Review
All in all, an entertaining film. I wouldn't recommend it as highly as other period films, mainly because the plot is hard to follow without previously knowing the story. Gene Kelly's stunts and sword fighting are great, but his acting is too over-the-top. I actually preferred the 1921 version, so if you like the book, start there. I hope to see one of the newer remakes as well; who knows, maybe I'll have a series. Meanwhile, if you're in the mood to watch some Gene Kelly, I'd recommend An American in Paris, Singin' in the Rain, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, It's Always Fair Weather (tap dancing on roller skates!!) and Inherit the Wind.
To read more, check out IMDb. There's also a brief write-up about the book here.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Great Escape (1963)
Intro.
Lately I've felt like I've seen so many films, but only in pieces. I'll catch the first twenty minutes here and maybe the ending there, or a piece or two in the middle a few weeks later. The Great Escape was one of those films for a long time. Of course I had seen Steve McQueen in "the cooler" with his baseball - it's iconic. So awhile ago I sat down and saw the entire thing and loved it. Then this past weekend when the whole state of Maryland got a nice two feet of snow, I curled up with a few movies and happily found this one on Turner Classic Movies (in High-Def!!!). So I thought I should probably write about it.
Overview
Based on a true story, The Great Escape tells the tale of 76 men who successfully escaped a German POW camp during WWII. This camp had specifically been designed for prisoners who had escaped from other camps. The hard work and organization that went into their escape is fascinating and drives the entire film. It is very much a character driven film as well, as we get to know and care about each of the main prisoners. Steve McQueen plays Hilts, the "cooler king", whose main job is to keep the Germans busy with his escape attempts so as to divert attention from the big escape. James Gardner plays Hendley, the "scrounger", who must come up with a set of travel papers so that the forgers can copy them, as well as other provisions. The two main leaders are Richard Attenborough (playing Roger Bartlett) and Gordon Jackson (playing MacDonald). The entire group digs three tunnels (Tom, Dick and Harry), forges travel papers, makes civilian suits and bags, and one night sneaks out into the woods where they part ways and try their best to make it out of Germany.
Highlights
The acting in this film is outstanding. I can't go on enough about all of the actors involved. In addition to the ones I mentioned, there's also Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and James Donald (who, in a side note, also BRILLIANTLY played my favorite movie doctor, Clipton, in the Bridge Over the River Kwai in 1957). All of the details, all of the planning is so well organized and orchestrated. The directors wanted it that way - they even hired a survivor of the original camp to come and be a technical advisor on set. That's why the details really make this movie. Watching this film reminds you of the determination of the spirit to be free. It's breathtaking and terribly sad at the end; worse still when you read about the real story and learn just how much of this was true.
Should be Mentioned...
Steve McQueen's character does feel a bit out of place, but according to history sources, there were some Americans in the camp. His timing at the end is a bit off, as Steve almost makes Switzerland on a motorcycle while simultaneously James Gardner tries to make it there in a plane and crashes 20 miles short. But in light of the history and how well made the film is, you can overlook some of the Hollywood-ness. I can almost hear comedian Eddie Izzard's voice now: "Steve McQueen plays the American who is dropped into British films to make them sell." Well, that may be true, but the film still earns its place as a classic. As it compares to another classic, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, it's fascinating how differently the POWs deal with their imprisonment. Both groups are distinctly British and go about their plans with great foresight and attention to detail. (And on a side note, Hilts gets time in solitary called "the cooler" while Alec Guiness gets time in solitary called "the oven.") Then both films end tragically, reminding us (in the words of Clipton) that war is madness.
Review
I love this movie more each time I see it. Every time another character captivates me and I have to follow and root for him clear through to the end. It's amazing, humbling, and undeniably devastating to know that real men lived this life and died trying to escape. If you haven't seen this movie yet, or if you are like I was and only saw a few bits, do yourself a favor and watch it. All of it. Straight through. And you may need a tissue.
Want to learn more? I read a lot about the film and the story behind it at HistoryinFilm.com. Also, if you want to see Eddie Izzard's routine about the movie, click here (he starts around 1:45, but please note that he does use a few obscenities).
Lately I've felt like I've seen so many films, but only in pieces. I'll catch the first twenty minutes here and maybe the ending there, or a piece or two in the middle a few weeks later. The Great Escape was one of those films for a long time. Of course I had seen Steve McQueen in "the cooler" with his baseball - it's iconic. So awhile ago I sat down and saw the entire thing and loved it. Then this past weekend when the whole state of Maryland got a nice two feet of snow, I curled up with a few movies and happily found this one on Turner Classic Movies (in High-Def!!!). So I thought I should probably write about it.
Overview
Based on a true story, The Great Escape tells the tale of 76 men who successfully escaped a German POW camp during WWII. This camp had specifically been designed for prisoners who had escaped from other camps. The hard work and organization that went into their escape is fascinating and drives the entire film. It is very much a character driven film as well, as we get to know and care about each of the main prisoners. Steve McQueen plays Hilts, the "cooler king", whose main job is to keep the Germans busy with his escape attempts so as to divert attention from the big escape. James Gardner plays Hendley, the "scrounger", who must come up with a set of travel papers so that the forgers can copy them, as well as other provisions. The two main leaders are Richard Attenborough (playing Roger Bartlett) and Gordon Jackson (playing MacDonald). The entire group digs three tunnels (Tom, Dick and Harry), forges travel papers, makes civilian suits and bags, and one night sneaks out into the woods where they part ways and try their best to make it out of Germany.
Highlights
The acting in this film is outstanding. I can't go on enough about all of the actors involved. In addition to the ones I mentioned, there's also Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and James Donald (who, in a side note, also BRILLIANTLY played my favorite movie doctor, Clipton, in the Bridge Over the River Kwai in 1957). All of the details, all of the planning is so well organized and orchestrated. The directors wanted it that way - they even hired a survivor of the original camp to come and be a technical advisor on set. That's why the details really make this movie. Watching this film reminds you of the determination of the spirit to be free. It's breathtaking and terribly sad at the end; worse still when you read about the real story and learn just how much of this was true.
Should be Mentioned...
Steve McQueen's character does feel a bit out of place, but according to history sources, there were some Americans in the camp. His timing at the end is a bit off, as Steve almost makes Switzerland on a motorcycle while simultaneously James Gardner tries to make it there in a plane and crashes 20 miles short. But in light of the history and how well made the film is, you can overlook some of the Hollywood-ness. I can almost hear comedian Eddie Izzard's voice now: "Steve McQueen plays the American who is dropped into British films to make them sell." Well, that may be true, but the film still earns its place as a classic. As it compares to another classic, The Bridge Over the River Kwai, it's fascinating how differently the POWs deal with their imprisonment. Both groups are distinctly British and go about their plans with great foresight and attention to detail. (And on a side note, Hilts gets time in solitary called "the cooler" while Alec Guiness gets time in solitary called "the oven.") Then both films end tragically, reminding us (in the words of Clipton) that war is madness.
Review
I love this movie more each time I see it. Every time another character captivates me and I have to follow and root for him clear through to the end. It's amazing, humbling, and undeniably devastating to know that real men lived this life and died trying to escape. If you haven't seen this movie yet, or if you are like I was and only saw a few bits, do yourself a favor and watch it. All of it. Straight through. And you may need a tissue.
Want to learn more? I read a lot about the film and the story behind it at HistoryinFilm.com. Also, if you want to see Eddie Izzard's routine about the movie, click here (he starts around 1:45, but please note that he does use a few obscenities).
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