km_dickson Reviews

I'm No Angel (1933)

A class of its own

[7/10 · 14 December 2005]

Not the same caliber of work as Mea West's other 1933 film, She Done Him Wrong, but still an entertaining, one of a kind picture. This one, again, was adapted from a hit stage show written by West herself. In it, West pretty much reprises the seductive, loose living but tough as nails character that she made famous. This time she is Tira, a circus performer who goes on the road with a hit lion taming act. The story at first seems to be moving along without much point as Tira simply moves from man to man, eventually landing on a young Cary Grant, who she decides to settle down with. Everything comes to a head quite nicely, though, in the final courtroom scene in which all her past lovers are put on the stand to testify against her character. This scene is an absolute classic as West decides to cross examine the witnesses herself, taking each of them apart with such flash and comic timing that you can't help but think of Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny. The film may lack the depth and drama that made She Done Him wrong such a complete movie, but it still stands in a class of it's own among early 1930s movies.

42nd Street (1933)

took musicals up a notch

[7/10 · 13 December 2005]

Picks up the musical genre where Broadway Melody left off. Once again we are given a behind the scenes look at a big stage production, but, this time, we are also given the good ensemble cast, interesting story lines, and dramatic weight to make it mean something. You see the aging stars, the young hopeful newcomers, the catty chorus girls, the slave driving director, and the womanizing producer. You see the backstage politics, the dirty tricks, the endless rehearsals and the nail biting opening night. You actually care about weather or not the show goes on because you care about those involved and sense how important it is to them. Warner Baxter gives a particularly good performance as the tireless, self destructive director. It's far from perfect, but it is a marked improvement in the musical genre and a definite forerunner for movies like A Chorus Line and All that Jazz.

Little Women (1933)

A nice little feel good movie

[8/10 · 13 December 2005]

The story of the March family, a mother and her four daughters, getting through day to day life while the man of the house is away in the Civil War is a classic charmer. A young Katherine Hepburn gives a very good lead performance as Jo, the Tom-boyish aspiring writer of the family. She may seem a bit out of place at times in this period piece, but she is still the definite pick of the cast. The rest of the female cast really fails to pull its weight, which is a major drawback, considering that the film is such an ensemble piece. The supporting actors, however, had much more to offer; especially Henry Stephenson as the fatherly next door neighbor to the Marches. Still, the mediocre cast can't do much to harm the pleasant, heartwarming story. Kudos to the filmmakers for staying true to the book in several key areas which went against the Hollywood norm.

She Done Him Wrong (1933)

A very well put together little movie

[8/10 · 13 December 2005]

Mea West really puts on one hell of a show. She could act, she could sing, and she could write. This decadent little period musical adapted from the play by West, herself, is surprisingly affective. The story is interesting, the characters are well developed, and though you might have been expecting fluff, you actually end up caring about what happens. West carries the picture as Lou, the beautiful nightclub singer and object of every man's desire. Lou is unlike any other female character put non screen up to this point. She is sexy, funny, brave, and blunt. She never relies on a male hero to show up and save the day, no matter what kind of trouble she gets into. The rest of the cast is decent but nothing special. That includes Cary Grant, who still had a long way to go. West makes them all look good, though. That's real talent.

King Kong (1933)

Pure fun

[9/10 · 13 December 2005]

From the moment Skull Island appears out of the mist to the moment Kong lays dead at the foot of the Empire State building, the action never lets up for a second. The storyline may be simple and the acting less than stellar, but that's not what you see this movie for. You see it for the spectacle, and you don't walk away disappointed. The visual effects that allowed us to see Kong wrestle dinosaurs and rampage through New York remained unequaled for decades. The violence is surprisingly strong, and the body count shockingly high for such a classic movie. Even today the film stands alone. For pure entertainment value, it's hard to find any better.

No Man of Her Own (1932)

Decent film with some good performances

[7/10 · 30 September 2005]

Good little film. Clark Gable once again plays the likable scoundrel role he does so well. This time he is Babe Stewart, a card shark who meets a small town girl (Carole Lombard), marries her on the flip of a coin, then realizes he'll have to change his ways if he wants to keep her. The script is well written, avoiding the melodramatic speeches and sappy dialogue that could have so easily been thrown into this kind of film. It also helps that the actors were able to play the characters naturally without hamming it up. Emotion is so much more believable when it's realistic. The supporting cast gives good performance as well, adding a bit of flavor to the film. A good script, good cast, and interesting enough storyline make this one worth watching.

Freaks (1932)

A cult classic that is definitely as good as it's built up to be

[7/10 · 30 September 2005]

What makes the film interesting and gives it its cult status is the fact that real circus freaks were used in the film. This gives Freaks a genuine shock value that could never have been duplicated with special effects. Coupled with this is dark and twisted storyline that really impresses, even though you may know where it's going. The downside of using these circus performers in the film is that they are not actors. A lot of the dialogue, especially from the central midget character, Hans, comes off sounding very forced. Olga Baclanova also hams it up a little too much as the villainess. In fact, the only good actor in the bunch seems to be Wallace Ford, playing one of the few friends to the circus freaks. Still, the movie succeeds in making an emotional connection, not so much because of the weight of the performances, but because of the realism of their situation. We get the sense that what these characters are going through on screen is not far from what they go through in life. Then, of course, we get to see them do what they would never get a chance to do in real life: take their revenge!

Grand Hotel (I) (1932)

All star best picture winner with a lot to offer

[9/10 · 30 September 2005]

Best Picture winner more known for putting together the first all star cast in Hollywood. Though the cast is impressive, the movie really does have a lot more to offer than just the names on the marquee. Intertwining the stories of several different characters staying in the Grand Hotel in Berlin, the film is a wonderful collage that succeeds both artistically and emotionally. The well balanced script gives each character room to develop on their own, but also connects them perfectly to one another. More important than being all stars, the performers are all very good actors as well. John Barrymore is charming as a hotel thief down on his luck. Lionel Barrymore is nearly heartbreaking as a dying man who makes some real friends for the first time in his life. Joan Crawford gives a lovable performance as a sweet secretary, who'll do almost anything to get some extra cash. Wallace Berry is infuriating as the hard headed business man, yet he keeps from being a one dimensional bad guy. Greta Garbo also does a decent job in the film as the prime ballerina who just wants to be alone. Each performer does a good job of making you care about the character and what they are going through. Their converging story lines complement each other so well that the film never feels disjointed. Rather, we always feel that we are watching one grand picture made up of many parts.

The Guardsman (1931)

A very entertaining well made comedy

[8/10 · 22 September 2005]

Real life husband and wife duo Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne play famous married theater performers (named in the credits only as The Actor and The Actress). The Actor is so convinced that his wife would be unfaithful to him if given the chance, he dresses up like a Russian officer to try and seduce her. The Guardsman remains the only sound film that either Lunt or Fontanne ever did, which is a damn shame. Both actors achieve a natural quality on screen rarely equaled in thirties films. Lunt especially gives a knockout comedic performance, not only as the whining, conceited, jealous husband, but also as the brash and passionate Guardsman. The rest of the cast play their parts perfectly as well, doing justice to the delightfully witty script. It looses some momentum in the second half, as the film slowly works its way to the conclusion you know is coming. They definitely could have played with the scenario a bit more. Nonetheless, it makes for a very enjoyable comedy.

As You Desire Me (1932)

Good story - poorly executed

[5/10 · 22 September 2005]

A pretty good story, but poorly executed. Greta Garbo plays Zara, the loose living mistress of a famous novelist, who may also be the long lost wife of a wealthy Italian officer. The question of who she is for real is complicated by the fact that Zara cannot remember anything beyond the last ten years of her life. The story is interesting, but it wasn't handled well enough to also be engaging. Nothing is ever done to create any real suspense. Garbo gives a better performance here than she did in Anna Christie, but she still falls back on her silent screen style overacting whenever the script calls for any real drama. The best thing about the movie is probably Erich Von Stroheim, who gives an excellent supporting performance as Salter, the novelist who is determined not to give up his mistress. It would have made a terrific Hitchcock film.

The Mummy (1932)

One of the better classic horror flicks

[7/10 · 22 September 2005]

Another film that puts the basic storyline of Dracula to better use. This time, it's the undead Egyptian priest, I'm-ho-tep (Boris Karloff), who puts the beautiful Helen under his spell. David Manners and Edward Van Sloan both reprise their Dracula roles as the young hero, and the wise old mentor respectively. Van Sloan, who is the only actor to appear in Frankenstein, Dracula and The Mummy, gives his best performance here. Karloff is also quite good as the evil villain, I'm-ho-tep. This remains the only mummy movie that can really be called a suspense film or thriller rather than a monster movie. It's not quite as good as Frankenstein, but it's still one of the better classic horror flicks.

Red Dust (1932)

Gable, Harlow and Astor make for one good film

[8/10 · 9 September 2005]

A pretty good movie. Red Dust is one of the films that made Clark Gable a star and it's easy to see why. In it, he plays the kind of likable rogue character that audiences would come to know him as. Gable is Dennis Carson, the operator of a rubber plantation in Indochina, who is all business until his world is turned upside down by two women. First Vantine Jefferson (Jean Harlow), a prostitute looking for a place to lie low arrives. Then a prospector and his wife, Barbara (Mary Astor), show up at the plantation. Both women are unwelcome intruders into Carson's world at first, but soon they each end up igniting his desire. Fooling around with the floozy Vantine is easy, but things get complicated when Carson's eye falls on the married Barbara. With his more than questionable actions, any other actor might have been completely unlikeable in the role, but Gable somehow pulls it off. Harlow and Astor also give very good performances. It helps that the heavy subject matter and brash duologue, adapted from a stage play, was not watered down too much for the screen version. Definitely a well made film worth seeing.

Horse Feathers (1932)

The Marx Brothers in their prime

[7/10 · 9 September 2005]

One of the better Marx Brothers movies. This one came right in the middle of their prime, between Monkey Business and Duck Soup (probably their two best films). While Horse Feathers isn't quite as funny as either of those, it still has plenty of laughs. The Marx Brothers were still young, but they knew what they were doing now. Again they take advantage of the film medium to do things they never could have done on stage, like the wild football finale. The involvement of the supporting cast is also kept to a minimum, which is always a good thing in Marx Bros. films. They do go back to relying on too many musical numbers. Groucho's opening song "Whatever it is, I'm Against it" seems awkwardly out of place, but it's interesting to see all four brothers do their own version of "Everyone Says I Love you." It's not their very best work, but it's not far from it either.

The Docks of New York (1928)

Decent film with some good moments

[7/10 · 9 September 2005]

It's the fine directing and good performances that really make the film worth watching. The story is interesting enough, covering one night ashore in the life of ship stoker, Bill Roberts (George Bancroft), and the mysterious beauty he meets (Betty Compson). Bancroft is all masculinity as Roberts, a man who won't let anything or anyone stand in the way of what he wants. He meets his match, though, in Compson, who is all sex appeal as Mea, the seductive but troubled blonde with a dark past. These two are backed up with good supporting performances from the rest of the cast, the only exception being Olga Baclanova, who hams it up more than necessary. Director Josef Von Sternberg handles the ensemble cast well, giving each character importance. He also does a good job of portraying and letting us experience the seedy life they live. Nonetheless, some of the main characters aren't fleshed out enough for us to understand their actions. The film also tries too hard at times to be shocking and edgy. All in all, it's not the best film ever, but it has enough good qualities to be enjoyable.

Free and Easy (1930)

Extremely disappointing

[3/10 · 9 September 2005]

Extremely disappointing for fans of Buster Keaton's silent films, or fans of comedy in general. Keaton' first talkie found him playing a small town talent agent who brings the hopeful young starlet, Elvira Plunkett (Anita Page), to Hollywood and, of course, gets into a lot of trouble along the way. Keaton himself is funny in parts, but the movie drags and the comedy is too slowly paced. The film gets more enjoyable in the last twenty minutes when Keaton becomes a surprise star and is thrown into some entertaining musical numbers. The numbers have nothing to do with the story, but that's almost a relief. Trixie Friganza also delivers some good moments as Elvira's controlling mother.

The Front Page (1931)

Way ahead of its time

[10/10 · 3 September 2005]

Way ahead of its time in both style and substance. The Front Page is a comic look at the underbelly of the newspaper business as well as a tough commentary on the times. In a press room outside the city jail, a group of newspaper reporters idly await the execution of a communist sympathizer accused of murder. Once the story heats up though, the press room becomes an absolute madhouse. The hilariously cynical script adapted from the play by Ben Hecht pulls no punches. Politics, the justice system, communist hysteria, love and marriage are all targets for the biting wit of the author. The script is complemented by a good ensemble cast. Pat O'Brien gives a good performance as Hildy Johnson, the star reporter for The Post, who is leaving his job for marriage. Adolphe Menjou steals the show, however, as Walter Burns, the conniving editor who will do anything to keep Johnson on the job. The rest of the news hounds are all expertly played, striking us as fun loving jokers one minute, but becoming downright violent the moment they smell a story. The movie also has a rare artistic style unequaled in most films. Though most of the movie takes place in the same location, the cinematography is done so well that we never feel we are watching a stage play. The cameras constantly move around the room, effectively putting us in the middle of the action. Pretty much everything about this film is done well. It is funny, edgy, artistic and thought provoking. Movies that can do all of that are few and far in between.

Little Caesar (1931)

It's no Public Enemy

[1/10 · 3 September 2005]

Horribly unimpressive and unoriginal gangster film. It's amazing that this movie is often put in the same class as William Wellman's Public Enemy. Like all gangster pics of the time, they both cover the rise and fall of some criminal tough guy. Aside from that, however, the two films could not be more opposite. Wellman's picture was a gritty, artistic masterpiece, while this clunker is nothing more than a stock gangster film with barely a good quality to speak of. The writing is horrible, the acting is worse, and it seems like director Mervyn LeRoy wasn't even trying. It's hard to hate iconic star, Edward G. Robinson, as the title character, even if he does overact his way through every scene. It's easy to hate everything else, though.

Dracula (1931)

Lame

[2/10 · 31 August 2005]

Absolutely Lame. The fact that this movie came out in 1931 is no excuse for how bad it is. Frankenstein and Svengali are two prime examples of what other filmmakers were able to do with the horror genre that same year. Dracula is simply a poorly written, poorly directed and poorly acted film. There is no imagination or style to it at all. It might have been enjoyable just for the spectacle, but there was none of that either. We never get to see Dracula come out of his coffin, change form, go for someone's neck or even flash a pair of fangs. Even for 1931 this had to be a low budget. The rubber spiders and bats on string are just plain laughable. Bela Lugosi makes a good Dracula, and Edward Van Sloan is a decent Van Helsing, but their limited talents go to waste here. Dwight Frye also gives a pretty good, though somewhat over the top, performance as the crazed Renfield. Not worth seeing.

Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)

Interesting mix of documentary and narrative style film-making

[3/10 · 31 August 2005]

Director F.W. Murnau wisely stuck with the silent film medium he knew so well to cover this story of native islander life in the South Seas. The documentary style works very well for the first half of the movie. The landscapes are beautiful, and the daily life activities of the islanders are interesting to watch. The film loses momentum, though, when it begins to concentrate more on the narrative story of two doomed lovers. The storyline just never gets that interesting, despite being handled well by Murnau. Won an Academy Award for best cinematography, although the award probably should have been for best scenery. You can't really credit the DP for getting to shoot in such a beautiful location.

East of Shanghai (1931)

very un-Hitchcock

[4/10 · 20 August 2005]

Yet another early film from Alfred Hitchcock which seems to have been done out of contractual obligation. As with Juno and the Paycock, you can tell that Hitchcock had little interest in this movie. There is almost no style or craft to it at all. The story revolves around Fred and Emily, a young married couple, who come into some money and go on a cruise which proves to be a test of their marriage. Emily is given a chance at a new life with a good hearted, wealthy man who falls in love with her, but chooses to take the high road and stay with her husband. This might seem more believable if Fred weren't made out to be a completely insensitive, pompous ass who jumps at the first opportunity he sees to leave his wife for another woman. The couple ends up staying together, but the movie lacks any real reconciliation scene. The third act goes in a completely different direction, with the couple stranded on an abandoned ship and rescued by an Asian fishing boat. Joan Barry does give a very stirring performance as the faithful wife of an unfaithful husband. That's about all you can say for this one.

Laughing Sinners (1931)

Decent early film

[5/10 · 20 August 2005]

A decent early vehicle for Joan Crawford. Crawford plays a loose woman who tries to turn her life around after being jilted by her lover. The movie also sports a young Clark Gable as the Salvation Army worker who comes to her rescue. All the acting is pretty good, and the story had potential. In one very well played scene, Crawford's ex-lover succeeds in seducing her once again, despite having nearly ruined her life once already. The rest of the film, though, really fails to pack a punch. The happy ending comes off as rather unbelievable and bland. The movie was probably done better a few years later under its original stage title, Torch Song.

Whoopee! (1930)

surprisingly good

[7/10 · 20 August 2005]

Quite a surprise for such a lesser known, starless film. Whoopee! is a delightfully funny and entertaining musical comedy. Credit the comic actor, Eddie Cantor, for pretty much making the film everything it is. This nasally, spectacled, Jewish wisecracker is like a cross between Woody Allen and Groucho Marx. Plus he sings! Cantor is simply fun to watch. His comic timing is excellent and his musical numbers are as catchy as they are risqué for the time. The movie only suffers whenever Cantor is not on screen. Like many comedies of the time, there had to be a love story and a separate romantic lead. This does nothing but detract from the film, especially since the rest of the cast is completely horrible. Some of the dance sequences also drag on too long, but other than that, the film is well worth seeing.

Monkey Business (1931)

This is where the Marx Brothers hit their stride

[8/10 · 20 August 2005]

Much better than the first two Marx Brothers efforts. This is the first Marx Bros. movie written directly for the screen rather than adapted from one of their Vaudeville shows. The result is a faster pace, a bigger production and a wider variety of scenes. This was exactly what the brothers needed to become more effective on screen. The supporting cast is trimmed down, with Zeppo filling the romantic lead, thus combining two non-funny characters into one. This gives more screen time to Groucho, Harpo and Chico, who are on top of their game here. The comic bits don't drag on too long, and the musical numbers don't kill the momentum; both improvements from their earlier films. The storyline and the rest of the cast are just as bad as always, but what do you expect? The point is that the movie is hilarious and entertaining from beginning to end. Monkey Business is where the Marx Brothers really began to hit their stride.

Svengali (1931)

Exceptional classic film

[9/10 · 13 August 2005]

An exceptional classic film. In a storyline very similar to Dracula, the strange Maestro Svengali (John Barrymore) falls in love with a young girl (Marian Marsh) and uses his powers of hypnotism and mind control to seduce her. Erie, eye catching, strangely romantic and a little twisted, Svengali was everything Dracula should have been. The film is a masterpiece of visuals. The slanted, disproportionate sets and imaginative camera work give many scenes a dreamlike feel. John Barrymore is perfect as the title character. He does not play Svengali as a flatly evil man, but gives him charm, humor and vulnerability. He causes us to pity him for his unrequited love almost more than we fear him for his actions. The talent of the supporting cast does not go to waste either. Marian Marsh gives a good performance as Trilby, the object of Svengali's desire, and Donald Crisp and Luis Alberni provide some comic relief as a couple of struggling artists. Complete with a dark, somewhat open ending, this movie has all the right touches. Svengali is better and more effective than a horror movie without quite being one itself.

City Lights (1931)

A comedic masterpiece

[9/10 · 13 August 2005]

A comedic masterpiece. Charlie Chaplin made a bold move by keeping this film silent, and it paid off. Regarded by most as Chaplin's best work, City Lights has some of the Tramp's funniest and most heartfelt moments. In a more developed storyline than usual, the tramp falls in love with a blind flower girl who mistakes him for a rich man. While this situation provides the emotional drive of the film, the Tramp's relationship with a rich, suicidal drunkard provides most of the laughs. Both plot lines intertwine perfectly, complementing each other well. In the third act, the Tramp sets out to raise money for an operation on the blind girl. After loosing his job as a street sweeper, he enters a boxing match to try and win the prize money. The hilariously choreographed match is one of Chaplin's best routine's ever. As much as it makes us laugh, it still tugs at our heart strings when the Tramp surprisingly goes down for the count. The final scene in which the girl with her restored sight realizes that the Tramp is her benefactor is a study in bittersweet. Chaplin and the girl wisely underplay the moment, keeping it from being too sappy, but still making us care. What happens next is also wisely left to the imagination.