constancepetersen Reviews

The Time of Your Life (1948)

Different, but a load of fun

[7/10 · 17 December 2005]

From what I'd heard of this film, I was expecting something dull and boring and Eugene O'Neill-ish.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was a lot to love in this film. In fact, it left me happy and smiling. James Cagney's character is so off-the-wall in comparison to his other film roles. He just sits quietly, leading a seemingly monotonous life. He listens to a couple of songs over and over; he drinks champagne. Most of all he interferes for good in other people's lives.

I also watched this film because I'm fascinated with Jeanne Cagney and how much she looked like her brother. It's great to see James and Jeanne working together, particularly in this story, where he's playing an Irishman and she's Polish - but she's got his face. Yes, I'm easily amused.

It's a random film. It appears on the surface to be patched together and no, it's not action packed and fast-paced. But look beneath the surface, and you'll see it's about the value of observing, paying attention to things and people around you, and acting on what you see. We all could do with a little more of that - although I don't think we need to do it for hours on end in a bar. It can be done during normal life too.

I felt this film moved along pretty steadily. There was always some new thing popping up as something else was being resolved. And, although on the surface everything is resolved in the end, there are still a lot of questions one asks. I won't go into details here - I'll let you discover for yourself... and I strongly recommend you should do so!!

Kiki (1926)

Very, very cute

[6/10 · 11 February 2005]

If anyone has a complete version of this out there, I would love to get in touch with you. My copy is missing a couple of reels. So, I don't know exactly HOW Ronald and Norma met in the movie.

Despite the missing reels, I thoroughly enjoyed this little movie. Despite the picture quality not being very good, it was fun and playful and Norma Talmadge was a hoot - especially where she is "comatose"! Ronald Colman was also young, chipper, and handsome - and of course, there's the evil "other woman" in his life.

If you can find a copy of this film, even incomplete, do see it. It's not a masterpiece, but it is fun to watch, and I think anyone would be amused.

The Night Angel (1931)

Tossed salad, pseudo-Czechoslovakian style

[1/10 · 31 March 2003]

What a movie! I watched it because I heard this was the worst film of Fredric March's career. I am inclined to agree, and I feel I am qualified to make a judgement as I've seen about three-fourths of his films. As I will expound below, I was not at all impressed with this film, and if you want to see a good Fredric March, try The Dark Angel, Smilin' Through, A Star Is Born, Best Years of Our Lives... almost any of his movies except this one! It was the first Fred flick which I didn't mind all that much that I was dozing off and missing some of it.

The only moment in this film worth even a laugh (if you can stand it almost to the end) is when Biezl and Fred's character are fighting over Nancy Carroll. Biezl's a strong man from some act, and he flips Fred over the bed, patent leather shoes, spats, and all.

If I just translate the characters of this obscure film into English in the form of a cast list, you'll know all there is to know about this tale, and won't need to bother seeing the film.

Nancy Carroll (Yula).............. The Ham (says it all)

Alan Hale (Biezl)................. The Cheese (again, says it all)

Alison Skipworth (the Countess)... The Tomato (shiny on the outside but seedy and mooshy within)

Katherine Emmett (Mrs Berkem)..... The Lettuce (wilted and lifeless)

Phoebe Foster (Theresa)........... The Hardboiled Egg (too complicated to explain)

and...

drumroll...

Fredric March (Rudek Berkem)...... The Dressing on an otherwise unpalatable dish.

A true chef of the Paramount cinema kitchen could not have made head or tails of this horrible mishmash. It is best to simply put it in the dustbin, forget it existed and start fresh.

A Death in the Family (2002 TV Movie)

Hello plastic bag

[1/10 · 8 March 2003]

As I watched this movie, I felt as if a plastic bag was slowly closing in around my head. The acting was horribly stifling, and it was Bad Acting. The most brilliant piece of acting in the entire film was the guy who had to play laid-out-in-state-in-a-coffin. I felt nothing but relief when it was finally over. I was expecting that this film was going to be some real tragedy, with some deep psychological intrigue in the aftermath. All around it was stupid, no beginning, no climax, no ending, just rambling on and on, and the plastic bag kept getting worse. Let's get real here. This is an awful movie.

There Goes My Heart (1938)

In Defense of a Not So Terrible Film

[5/10 · 28 September 2002]

Okay, so this is a copy of It Happened One Night. Big deal. There's actually a fair amount in it that is different. The basic elements are the same: Girl runs away from dad/grandfather and dodges the detectives but comes face-to-face with a reporter hiding his identity from her.

I would say that the primary difference between films is the attitudes of the leading men. Clark is essentially blackmailing Claudette in IHON, while in this film, Fredric doesn't seem to have any intention of publicising Virginia - he doesn't want to write the story in the first place, keeps delaying the finish of his story, and finally he rips it up and refuses to do it at all. In TGMH, there is also a strange but amusing supporting actress who works in the same store as Virginia does. Oscar Shapely of IHON is not her equivalent, though amusing in his own way, believe you me.

It Happened One Night is definitely the more solid of the two movies, but There Goes My Heart is fun to watch and should be more actively viewed than it is, instead of being condemned by a majority that probably hasn't seen it, but bases their opinions on the negative reviews of others. I myself was sceptical - I just watched it prepared to react whatever way the movie led me, and I have to say that I did like it and would definitely see it again.

Tonight Is Ours (1933)

Sweet little story about the Princess and the Nobody

[7/10 · 9 September 2002]

My mother recently (well, maybe not so recently) got majorly interested in the Life and Times and Films of Fredric March and found out about people who had taped his nolongeravailable movies from TV and we got this along with them and I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this one because even though it is a bit unrealistic it is full of some of the most poetically romantic speeches I've ever heard. Maybe it's just me, but every time I watch a good Fredric March movie and listen to those melodramatic love scenes I distinctly hear harps playing in the air. It's interesting to me that very often in his movies he does all the poetic speeches and the women are just supposed to gaze and reply, "Yes, dahling." The costumes are interesting, particularly the ones they wear at the beginning. Claudette Colbert's head appears to float upon a great cloud of fluffy collar, and gaudy sparkles and spangles make it even more... well... interesting.

I won't say anything about the plot but it's quite a good story even if it is a bit improbable. It would be so nice if they'd restore it and re-release it along with so many of the other good Fredric movies from way back then.

I implore you with all my heart to try to see this on TV if you can find out when it will be on. It's not very deep but it's fun to watch.

Design for Living (1933)

Delicacy is the banana peel under the feet of truth.

[8/10 · 9 September 2002]

This was one of the movies I was so sure was going to be stupid and annoying but it turned out to be such fine comedy I've already watched it three times in the past week or two. So many good lines. Tom writes a play called Goodnight Bassington - a comedy in about three acts with a tragic ending. George paints Lady Godiva on a bicycle, despite the fact that a bicycle seat IS a little hard on her historical background. Gilda says that she went to see the above-mentioned painting of Lady Godiva with a friend. "She loved it. We haven't spoken since," Gilda tells George, who begins to pout. He does a fair amount of pouting throughout the film.

Eaglebauer also makes for some fine humour in some scenes near the end, but we never get to see the man. We only hear him bellowing out a joyous song about "falling leaves and fading trees! Goodbye, summer, goodbye!"

But besides all that this really wacky movie is a delight and I sure wish they'd re-release it because it's so good.

So. There's only one thing I have to say to you. Immorality may be fun, but it's not fun enough to replace one hundred per cent virtue and three square meals a day.

Benny & Joon (1993)

One of the best movies of today

[7/10 · 15 April 2002]

I'm a classic movie fanatic. I find it hard to appreciate post-mid-sixties films very much, because against the lush backdrop of hundreds of old films with depth and meaning and class, the modern films look like rhinestones among the diamonds. Benny and Joon is an exception. Along with "Somewhere in Time", I have actually watched this movie more than once and really like it. One definite plus is the fact that the four-letter words are down to a very bare minimum - I hate hearing people talk like that, and here it only happens once that I recall. (Not that it needed to happen at all, but anyway). Also the love scene is not graphic - it only shows them kissing. I really like Johnny Depp's character being so devoted to Joon - he really loved her. See this movie!

Marnie (1964)

Superb

[10/10 · 23 February 2002]

This was a really good movie. I don't care if the backdrops look fake or if Tippi's voice is annoying at times. The story is fantastic. I recommend this to everyone. Sean Connery is quite the character. You really have to at least see this once.