It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)

Looking for something new for your holiday viewing this year?  Look no further than the little-known 1947 heartwarmer It Happened on Fifth Avenue. Directed by Roy Del Ruth, this delightful film stars Victor Moore, Don DeFore, Charlie Ruggles, Ann Harding, and Gale Storm.  Since catching this 4-star charmer when it made its TCM premiere in 2009 (as one of their holiday movies), our family has included it in our own holiday viewing schedule.  Although the setting is more winter than Christmas---with the exception of a small tree-trimming/Christmas Eve scene---I think the message of the movie shouts that this is a holiday movie.

The story takes place on Fifth Avenue in New York City, at the home of the extremely wealthy Michael O'Connor (Charlie Ruggles).  Every winter, from November 1st to March 15th, O'Connor closes up his mansion and heads south to Virginia.  What he doesn't know is that after he moves out, the homeless Aloysius McKeever (Victor Moore) moves in.

This particular year, McKeever runs into Jim Bullock (Don DeFore), whose apartment building has just been sold, sending him to the streets in search of new living arrangements.  Unable to find anything, Jim is resting on a park bench when McKeever meets up with him.  Telling Jim he lives alone, McKeever invites Jim to be his guest for the evening.  Jim has no idea Mac (as he calls McKeever) is living in the home with the owner unaware, so he accepts the offer.

That same evening, O'Connor's daughter, Trudy (Gale Storm), who has run away from her finishing school, arrives at the house, and not wanting Mac and Jim to know of her connection to the very wealthy O'Connor, she invents a story about being in town looking for a job.  She, too, is invited to remain a guest in the mansion, and very soon, she and Jim are in love with one another.

Before long, two of Jim's Army buddies---unable to find a suitable apartment---are calling the O'Connor mansion home, and then when O'Connor himself makes an unexpected early appearance, he is assumed to be homeless and, also, is welcomed into the fold.

How long can the charade be kept up?  How long will Michael O'Connor be willing to be a guest in his own home?  And what happens when Trudy's mother---Michael's ex-wife (Ann Harding)---shows up as well?  These are the questions that play out in this very sweet little film.

According to Robert Osborne, when this film was originally being made, Frank Capra was going to direct it; however, early on, he heard about another script---the beloved It's a Wonderful Life---and he chose to direct that film instead, selling his rights to It Happened on Fifth Avenue to Roy Del Ruth.  In true It's a Wonderful Life style, though, It Happened on Fifth Avenue also features a beautiful line about friendship...  "To be without friends is a serious form of poverty." 

This sweet film is on TCM's Christmas Day schedule---Friday, December 25th at 6:00 p.m. (ET), so if you'd like to see it (and I definitely recommend it), be sure to set your DVR.  It's also TCM's lineup earlier in the month---Sunday, December 20th, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Happy viewing!!!

I'll Be Seeing You (1944)

My husband and I began our holiday viewing last week, and the first film on this year's "must watch" list was 1944's I'll Be Seeing You.  This movie is one of my 25 all-time favorites, and though I've reviewed it here before, that was back in 2011---the first year of They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To's life; therefore, I'm going to re-run that article, as I think the Christmastime setting (including a singing of "O, Come, All Ye Faithful")  makes this a perfect movie to add to your holiday viewing schedule.

A touching wartime romantic drama, I'll Be Seeing You stars Ginger Rogers and Joseph Cotten, with Tom Tully, the always-delightful Spring Byington, and a teenaged Shirley Temple taking on supporting roles.  Directed by William Dieterle, this charming film just might bring a mist to your eye.

The story is about Mary Marshall (Ginger), who is on furlough from a women's prison. (You'll find out during the movie why she was sent to prison.) While on a train traveling to visit her aunt, uncle, and cousin for Christmas, she meets Zachary Morgan (Joseph Cotten), a handsome soldier who has recently left an Army hospital, where he was being treated for the effects of what we now know as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Mary and Zach both disembark the train at the same stop, and upon Zach's request, Mary gives him her uncle's telephone number.  They begin spending time together and soon fall in love. However, since Zach's emotional state is still quite tenuous, Mary doesn't tell him that she's been in prison and will soon be going back.  And with Zach working through his own personal demons, can there possibly be a future for these two hurting souls?

I'll Be Seeing You is a sweet and tender movie, and although it doesn't bring huge sobs, it definitely gets me misty-eyed a couple of times.  I think all hopeless romantics will love it.  With its Christmastime setting, it's a lovely film to watch this time of year.  Out on DVD, it should be quite easy to track down; plus, it's on TCM's schedule twice this month---Friday, December 18th at 8:00 p.m. and Friday, December 25th, at 12:45 p.m. (ET). 

Happy viewing!!

The Search (1948)

The Search, from 1948, is a somewhat sentimental post-war drama, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Montgomery Clift in his second film appearance.  Also starring Wendell Corey, Aline MacMahon, and Ivan Jandl, The Search provided Mr. Clift with his first Best Actor Academy Award nomination.  According to Clift's biography, Monty considered The Search to be "the most fulfilling artistic experience of his life."  (From Montgomery Clift, a Biography, by Patricia Bosworth.)

The movie begins with a trainload of displaced children arriving at a relief center, where they will be temporarily housed while a search is made for their relatives.  Though the intent of the center is to help, many of the children, having previously been herded onto trains and shipped off to concentration camps, are understandably terrified and untrusting.  One little boy in particular, Karel Malek, is so frightened that he actually finds a way to run away, escaping on his own into war-torn Germany.

Ralph "Steve" Stevenson (Monty Clift), an American soldier still stationed in Germany, happens upon the hungry and frightened little boy.

Feeling that the boy shouldn't be wandering around on his own, Steve feeds him and then takes him back to his apartment, with the intent to locate his parents.

Though fearful and untrusting at first, Karel comes to realize that Steve is his friend and wants to help him.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Hannah Malek is combing the relief centers in search of the son from whom she was separated at Auschwitz, hoping against hope that he still lives.

A sweet, mildly heart-tugging film, The Search always gets me misty-eyed. Montgomery Clift is extremely good in this Oscar-nominated role, and his chemistry with the little boy (Ivan Jandl) is terrific. Wanting to be completely prepared for his role, before shooting began, Mr. Clift lived for a time in an army engineer's unit, dressed in army fatigues, and toured U. N. Relief and Rehabilitation camps in Germany. He was totally driven to make his character and the film authentic, which resulted in numerous improvisations of the script and endless battles with the film's producer. In the end, though, the film received unanimous acclaim and Monty, who was pleased with his performance, became one of Hollywood's hottest stars.

A solid 4-star film, The Search is definitely worth watching, and since it is available on DVD, it ought to be fairly easy to track down.  If you are a Montgomery Clift fan, or if you like post-war films, definitely see this.  You're sure to enjoy it.



Happy viewing!!!

Remember the Day (1941)

When was the last time you found yourself thinking about that middle school teacher you had such a crush on?  You know, the teacher you adored so much that you wished the entire school day belonged to English (or math, or whatever) class, just so you could be in his (or her) presence...the teacher you so wanted to impress that you worked your tail off in his (or her) class, knowing he (or she) would be proud of your efforts and accomplishments...the teacher who, in the fantasy world of the "tween," you imagined might "like you back."  Never mind that we now know it would be foolhardy, not to mention illegal, for a teacher to get involved with one of his students; in the dream world of a 1970's middle schooler, a love affair with the teacher was possible. For me, the teacher who inspired those things was 6th grade English teacher, Richard Barnett---oh, was he dreamy! Though the man hasn't crossed my mind in close to 40 years, after watching the very charming, heartwarming, and sentimental Remember the Day last night, I found myself thinking about him, even vividly visualizing his handsome face and friendly smile.  One of the "new to me" films I had on my agenda for Claudette Colbert month, this lovely 1941 romantic drama also stars John Payne and features Douglas Croft, Ann Todd, Anne Revere, and Jane Seymour in supporting roles.  If you are anything like I am, this Henry King-directed film will take you on a trip down memory lane, bringing those crush-inducing teachers to your mind front and center.

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Mostly told in flashback, the story begins in the present day, as presidential nominee Dewey Roberts (John Sheppard, aka Shepperd Strudwick) prepares to  speak at a Washington, D.C. event. Among those in attendance is a somewhat-older-looking woman, Nora Trinell (Claudette Colbert), who hopes for an opportunity to meet with Mr. Roberts.  After handing a note to the bellboy, Miss Trinell allows her mind to travel back to April, 1916, when she first met little boy Dewey (Douglas Croft).

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A student at Auburn Grammar School, the school where Nora has just begun teaching, Dewey Roberts is a bright and friendly young man.  In very short order, a special bond is formed between the boy and his teacher, with Miss Trinell even stopping by Dewey's home when he is absent due to a knee injury and with Dewey naming his model ship the Miss Trinell. Although Dewey's plan has long been to attend his father's old prep school the following year, because of his attachment to Miss Trinell, he changes his mind.  Telling his beloved teacher that she's beautiful, Dewey informs her that he is going to stay on at Auburn and play football under Mr. Hopkins (John Payne).

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A fellow teacher at Auburn, Dan Hopkins coaches the baseball and football teams.  He and Nora fall in love, yet with their positions at the school to be considered, they don't publicly declare their love. Both Nora and Dan are quite close to Dewey, and through postcards they each send him, their relationship comes to the attention of the school principal.  Mindful that his teachers need to be setting a good moral example for the students, Mr. Steele requests a resignation.  (I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I won't reveal more than that.)

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The years go by...Dewey Roberts grows to be a successful man with presidential aspirations...Nora Trinell gets older, touching the lives of countless other students along the way.  Now, here in 1941, will they have a chance to speak with one another?  And if they do, will Dewey even remember the teacher he used to love so dearly?  These questions will play out in the remainder of the film.

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Remember the Day is a charming, extremely sentimental movie, with enjoyable performances from all. Miss Colbert and Mr. Payne have terrific chemistry together, and Ann Todd (Ann E. Todd, not British actress Ann Todd) is her usual delightful self.  Douglas Croft, who would grow up to be Gary Cooper in Pride of the Yankees and James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy, is another child actor I enjoy watching.  He does a great job here.  Incredibly heartwarming, this film didn't just get me misty-eyed---it had me heartily weeping.

The film was released shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, in December, 1941, so, obviously it did much more than simply entertain; with its nostalgic, patriotic tone, I'm sure it inspired audiences as well.  It definitely worked its nostalgia on me, reminding me of one of the most wonderful, inspiring (and crushable) teachers I ever had---6th grade English teacher, Richard Barnett. I think now is a good time to pull those boxes of yearbooks out of the far recesses of the garage!

Remember the Day is out on DVD (and available through Classic Flix); it used to be available on YouTube, but I can't find it there anymore.  I do hope you get a chance to see it, as it is a lovely, heartwarming story and, easily, a 4-star film for me.

Happy viewing!!

Sleep, My Love (1948)

Though Douglas Sirk is mostly known for romantic melodramas, he did venture into other genre...including film noir.  One such example is 1948's Sleep, My Love, which stars Claudette Colbert, Robert Cummings, and Don Ameche.  Another of those "wife being driven to madness" films, Sleep, My Love features Queenie Smith, Hazel Brooks, Rita Johnson, and George Coulouris in supporting roles.

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Wealthy Allison Courtland (Claudette Colbert) awakens in the sleeper car of a New York-to-Boston train, hysterical because she has no recollection of how she got there. Despite the fact that witnesses claim to have seen her in Grand Central Station before departure, Allison insists that she did not board the train and had, in fact, gone to bed in her own home.  After phoning her husband, Richard (Don Ameche), to tell him where she is, Allison boards a plane for the flight back to New York. Although panicked by the situation in which she finds herself, Allison does manage to strike up a friendship with her seat-mate, Bruce Elcott (Robert Cummings).

Richard Courtland is relieved to have his wife back home; however, after informing her that she shot him the previous evening and reminding her that she has disappeared on other occasions, he convinces her that it's time to see a psychiatrist.  Allison reluctantly agrees, and Dr. Rinehart (George Coulouris) is called in---but Dr. Rinehart isn't a doctor at all. He is actually a man in cahoots with Richard Courtland, and the plan is to drive Allison to suicide and then cash in on her wealth.  Allison's only hope lies in new friend Bruce.  Will he figure things out in time to rescue her?  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.

While solid and interesting, Sleep, My Love fell a bit short for me. Although all the leads are fine in their roles, since I had been expecting something the caliber of Gaslight, I was letdown by this.  I found Miss Colbert and Mr. Cummings to be a rather strange pairing, plus the storyline was a bit too farfetched for me.  Also, the scene with the Chinese wedding seemed rather pointless.  Still, though, I enjoyed the film and deem it a solid 3-stars.  Another 3-star Claudette Colbert "woman being driven insane" film is The Secret Fury, which pairs Miss Colbert with (the wonderful and under-rated) Robert Ryan  (reviewed HERE).

To my knowledge, Sleep, My Love is not out on DVD; however, it is available on YouTube (HERE), plus, through instant streaming on Amazon.

Happy viewing!

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Another of the films I caught on the big screen during Maureen O'Hara's recent birthday bash celebration is How Green Was My Valley.  It's hard to believe that upon my first viewing of this film five or six years ago, I quite disliked it.  I wasn't so bored by it that I needed to turn it off, and I certainly didn't hate it, but it was definitely in the "2-star, hard to get through" category for me.  I found it excessively tedious and horribly depressing, and for the life of me, I couldn't understand how in the world it had come away with the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1941.  What a difference a few years makes (or perhaps I should say, "a few generations"), for last week's viewing of that Oscar-winning film was seen through new eyes (or maybe I should say "old" eyes). Deeply and powerfully moved, I loved the film and, without question, moved it to 5-star status.

Directed by John Ford, How Green Was My Valley is a period drama with the terrific ensemble cast of Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp, Sara Allgood, Patric Knowles, Anna Lee, John Loder, Barry Fitzgerald, and a very young Roddy McDowall. Nominated for ten Academy Awards, and coming away with the win in five categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Supporting Actor for Mr. Crisp, this heart-tugging film is based on Richard Llewellyn's novel of the same name.

Set in Wales in the late 1800's, How Green Was My Valley is the story of the Morgan family, who live in a small coal mining village.  Family patriarch (Donald Crisp) and his five older sons all work in the local mine at a time when change is on the horizon.  With wages being cut and workers being dismissed, the Morgan sons intend to get involved in the newly-forming unions---a fact which does not sit well with their father.

On the homefront are matriarch Beth (Sara Allgood), daughter Angharad (Maureen O'Hara), son Ivor's wife, Bronwyn (Anna Lee), and young son, Hugh (Roddy McDowall).  Although father and mother bicker regularly, there is deep devotion between them.  Angharad and the local preacher (Walter Pidgeon) have fallen in love; however, not wanting to subject her to the difficult life of a preacher's wife, he steadfastly refuses to marry her.  Young Hugh, after overcoming a near-paralyzing accident, enrolls in a nearby school, where he is regularly taunted and beaten up.  As providing for a family through the mill grows ever more difficult, some of the Morgan sons make the decision to leave Wales behind and to head for America. The remainder of the film chronicles the joys and heartbreaks of this loving, hardworking family.




There is very little that is feel-good about this film.  Quite honestly, it's rather depressing.  But it's well acted, especially by Donald Crisp, Sara Allgood, Maureen O'Hara, and Roddy McDowall. The cinematography is fantastic (and Oscar-winning), quite capturing the gritty harshness of a coal miner's life. Additionally, it's an incredibly heart-tugging story, and I found myself moved to tears on several occasions, all because I identify with it in a deep, powerful, and very personal way---something I did not do when I first watched this film in the mid 2000's.

In the last two years, I have gotten heavily into genealogy, and I have discovered that I, too, have a coal mining heritage.  One of my great-grandfathers and at least five of my 2nd and 3rd-great-grandfathers (as well as several great-grand-uncles) were lifelong coal miners.  While most of them worked in the United States, one of them also mined in England, before immigrating to America in the 1880's. Since the area of England from which he hailed was very close to the northern border of Wales, Donald Crisp's character could easily have been my grandfather, and through most of the film, that is how I saw him. As Mr. Morgan watched his sons leave their homeland and head to America, I pictured my ancestor getting on a ship with his younger children, while leaving his older children and deceased wife behind in England (knowing they would be buried on different continents). Beyond that particular grandfather, one of my other 2nd-greats was killed in a mine accident, and the mine fatalities in the film served to remind me of him; though I never knew that man, his blood runs in my veins. How could I not think of him---and the life he gave up mining coal. The scenes in which the anxious family members hover around the mine opening, awaiting news of those trapped below, affected me deeply and I was very nearly sobbing, as I thought of my relatives who endured similar situations. For those reasons, this film was very personal to me, enabling me to see it through fresh eyes and quite touching my heart. Depressing or not, it is a powerful, deeply moving story.

Out on DVD, How Green Was My Valley should be easy to track down. Additionally, it is on the TCM schedule for Saturday, November 2nd, at 8:00 p.m. (ET).  I hope you get a chance to see it, because it is well worth viewing.

Happy viewing!

This Land Is Mine (1943)

Although many people define courage as being fearless---completely unafraid---I don't think of it that way at all.  Rather, I think of courage as being afraid of something, yet facing the object of that fear head-on...not letting it render you powerless or cause you to turn and run the other way. Really, if there is no fear, then it takes no courage to face a situation.  So, for me, courage can only be exhibited in the presence of fear, and that is precisely the theme of 1943's This Land Is Mine. Winner of an Academy Award for Best Sound, this Jean Renoir-directed film stars Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara, with George Sanders, Kent Smith, Walter Slezak, and Una O'Connor among those taking on supporting roles.

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Somewhere in Europe, the Nazis are on the march, conquering one city after another. While the citizens of each occupied city are encouraged to trust the new regime, resistance literature urges them to drive the conquerors out, lest they become their slaves. In one such town, the word has come down that several of the school's textbooks have unacceptable pages which must be destroyed.  While timid, milque-toasty schoolmaster, Albert Lorry (Charles Laughton), meekly instructs his students to remove the offending pages from their books, his fellow teacher, Louise Martin (Maureen O'Hara), with whom Albert is secretly in love, vehemently announces that the day will come when she will paste the pages back.

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In the midst of the school day, the air raid siren blares, and the students and their teachers take to the shelter, with Albert's controlling, overbearing mother (Una O'Connor), who lives nearby, joining them. As the planes roar overhead, Albert cowers in his mother's arms.  Later, Albert admits his cowardice to the schoolmaster, who reminds him that the truth can be kept alive if the children believe in them and admire them, because those whom children admire, they will follow; therefore, in order to conquer the Nazis, they all must be the kind of men the children will desire to follow.

Other residents of this little village are Paul Martin (Kent Smith), Louise's brother and a resistance worker, and George Lambert (George Sanders), Louise's fiance, who, unbeknownst to her, is a Nazi sympathizer.  Believing that democratic ideas ruined his country, George wants the "new order" and works in collaboration with them to achieve it.

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When a grenade thrown by a resistance fighter kills two German soldiers, ten of the local townspeople are taken hostage and threatened with execution unless the criminal gives himself up. Albert, eventually, is one of those arrested, and when he is put on trial---and comes face to face with his fear of what the Nazis will do to him---he finds that he is not a coward after all.  With his courage shining brightly in the face of fear, Albert uses the courtroom to inspire people everywhere to keep on resisting the invading evil.



What they call a "propaganda piece," This Land Is Mine is an inspiring, encouraging, well-acted drama.  Made in the middle of the war, when the tide had not yet turned and there was no way of knowing how much longer it would go on, this film was obviously a boost to homefront morale. Mr. Laughton's performance is spectacular...not quite up there with The Hunchback of Notre Dame (which, as I said in a review earlier this week (HERE), I think has to be the performance of his career), but terrific nonetheless.  The way he changed from a cowering bowl of jello to a man of conviction and strength was beautiful to watch.  And his speeches---wow. Such great truth in every word he uttered, and that truth is as relevant today as it was 70 years ago.

Maureen O'Hara is quite wonderful in her role as well.  She brings her fiery, passionate character to life with much believability.  Plus, she's so lovely, and it is always a delight to watch her.  The supporting players---Una O'Connor, Kent Smith, George Sanders, and Walter Slezak---all are very good in their roles.

This Land Is Mine is out on DVD and is available through Classic Flix.  It is also on the TCM schedule for Sunday, November 17th, at 6:15 a.m. (ET).  I hope you get a chance to see it, as it is a very inspiring film.

Happy viewing!

Princess O'Rourke (1943)

Princess O'Rourke, from 1943, is a sweet little romantic comedy starring Olivia deHavilland and Robert Cummings, with Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, and Charles Coburn taking on supporting roles.  Garnering an Academy Award win for Norman Krasna's screenplay, Princess O'Rourke is somewhat like Roman Holiday, in that it is the story of a royal-blooded heroine falling in love with a common man.

Having been run out of her European country due to Nazi activity, Princess Maria (Olivia deHavilland), along with her uncle/guardian (Charles Coburn), is living in a New York hotel. Because Maria is of an age where she is expected to fulfill her duty to marry and have children---boys preferably---eligible men are continually calling on her.  Not attracted to any of the "acceptable" men, Maria is rather bored and unhappy; deciding that a change of scenery might do wonders for Maria's state of mind, Uncle arranges for her to visit a ranch in California.

Flying under the name of Mary Williams, our lovely heroine, in the hopes of catching a few z's and sleeping through the flight, downs far too many sleeping pills.  With bad weather keeping the plane in New York, Maria/Mary has no opportunity to sleep off the effects of the pills, thus, as everyone deplanes, she is out cold.  Feeling responsible for the woman, yet unable to determine where she belongs, pilot Eddie O'Rourke (Robert Cummings) takes her for coffee at a local diner.  Thinking that the slightly-dazed lady before him is simply in need of a good night's sleep, the waiter slips a sleeping pill into her coffee, causing her to pass out completely. Not knowing what else to do, Eddie takes the sleeping beauty to his apartment, where she spends the night.

Eddie and Maria begin seeing each other, but she doesn't tell him the truth about herself.  In fact, she invents a story which has Eddie believing she is a refugee, bound for a housemaid job in California. He asks her to marry him, but much as Maria loves Eddie and wants to marry him, she is pretty sure her uncle would not approve of a marriage between them, so she attempts to break things off.  Unbeknownst to Maria, however, her bodyguard has been following her and reporting back to Uncle, and when Uncle discovers that Eddie is one of nine boys and that his father was one of eleven boys, he embraces such a union.  Only thing is, the couple now has to run their romance according to the rules and regulations of Uncle and royal proclamation...and that poses a problem.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.



While not a spectacular film, Princess O'Rourke is definitely cute, enjoyable, and loads of fun. Olivia deHavilland is sweet and well-suited to this role---and she's stunningly beautiful! Robert Cummings is delightful.  Jack Carson, who is absolutely not a favorite, is out of character here---and for that reason, he doesn't bug me like he usually does.  Jane Wyman, also not a favorite, is enjoyable in her role as well.  And Charles Coburn is terrific.  I got a huge kick out of him, especially as he reveled in the number of male offspring in O'Rourke's family, calling it a "veritable goldmine of boys." Again, this isn't a great movie...it's just a sweet, solid, 3-star film, well worth viewing.

The film is out on DVD, so it should be fairly easy to track down.  Additionally, it is on the TCM schedule for Saturday, August 24th, at 9:45 a.m. (ET).

Happy viewing!!

Bad Boy (1949)

Awhile back, I caught the TCM premiere of Bad Boy, the 1949 film which features Audie Murphy in his very first leading role.  Starring alongside Audie in this somewhat-touching drama are Lloyd Nolan and Jane Wyatt, with James Gleason, Martha Vickers, and Rhys Williams in support.  According to Robert Osborne, who always provides the viewer with a wealth of interesting information, the producer of this film insisted that Audie be cast in this role, otherwise he would not finance it.

Bad Boy is Audie's third movie, but it's the first one in which he has a starring role.  In fact, the credits read, "And in his first starring role, Audie Murphy."  Audie portrays Danny Lester, a violent and angry young man who has been running from the law since leaving home at age 13.  Now 17, Danny is brought before the juvenile court on armed robbery and assault charges.  The judge (Selena Royle) believes that Danny's hardened, unrepentant attitude warrants the severest punishment she can give him---the juvenile reformatory until adulthood, and then 20 years in the state prison.

However, Marshall Brown (Lloyd Nolan), of the Variety Clubs Boys' Ranch, who believes there are no hopeless cases, petitions the judge to release Danny into his custody.  He feels sure that just as the Ranch has been successful at rehabilitating other young juvenile delinquents, it will do the same for Danny.

Against her better judgment, the judge agrees to Mr. Brown's request, and Danny is sent to the Ranch, where, Brown soon discovers, the troubled young man proves to be much more difficult to rehabilitate than the other boys entrusted to his care.

Will Danny ever turn from his rebellious, lawbreaking ways?  Will he ever become a productive, giving member of society?  Or is he destined to be one of the boys the Ranch is unable to reach?  These are the questions which play out in the balance of the film.

Bad Boy is an extremely solid 3-star movie to me.  It's a great "message" movie, about investing in the lives of others and about not giving up when the going gets tough.  Audie Murphy is very good in this role. He is believable, and he brings to life a character I really cared about and rooted for. Audie's performance here in Bad Boy resulted in a 7-year contract with Universal, thus, establishing his career as an actor.

In this film, Audie is 24-years old, but I must say, he looks much younger.  When you realize that this film was made a full four years after the end of the war, you really begin to understand that when he received all his many military awards, he was hardly more than a boy.  It's kind of breathtaking to realize he was so young when he was in combat.  (This is one of the publicity photos for Bad Boy.  Wow!  Does Audie look young!)

This film is definitely worth watching. I don't believe it's out on DVD; however, it is available through Amazon's instant video.  If you are an Audie Murphy fan, you'll definitely want to catch him in his first starring role.

Happy viewing!!!


NOTE:   All photos used in this article were obtained from the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Website (HERE)

Sahara (1943)

In honor of Memorial Day, war films are on the schedule for the next two days here at They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To.  First up is 1943's Sahara, which features the all-male cast of Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, Dan Duryea, Lloyd Bridges, J. Carroll Naish, Rex Ingram, Richard Nugent, Kurt Krueger, and a few others.  This film, as its name implies, showcases a bit of the North African fighting in World War II.  While films depicting European and Pacific theatres of war are numerous, there are precious few bringing life to what went on in Africa.  For that reason alone, this film is worth viewing.  Directed by Zoltan Korda, Sahara was the recipient of three Academy Award nominations, among them a Best Supporting Actor nod for J. Carroll Naish.

It's June, 1942, in the desert of North Africa; a 4-man U.S. Army tank unit led by Sgt. Joe Gunn (Humphrey Bogart) has been ordered to abandon their training mission and to retreat. Because of increased Nazi activity surrounding them, they are instructed to retreat to the South, a route which will require miles of harsh desert travel.  With their tank, Lulubelle, damaged, and a minimal amount of water, the retreat will be difficult, but only a short distance into the journey, it becomes even more so.

Stranded in the blazing desert are five Allied soldiers, all somehow the only men left from their respective units.  Though the American's water supply is hardly adequate to take on more men, they know that they really have no choice, for to leave a man behind means sure death. Because they need to live so they can fight again, the Americans take the Allies on board their tank.

As the nine soldiers make their way across the desert, desperately in search of water, two men are struggling through the harsh sands. One of them is an Ally---a British Sudanese, whose company died in battle; with him is his Italian prisoner (J. Carroll Naish).  With a knowledge of the desert terrain, the Sudanese soldier informs Sgt. Gunn that there is a caravan trail leading to a well 160 miles away; able to guide them there, he, also, is taken on board the tank. Although Sgt. Gunn at first intends to leave the prisoner behind in the desert since there isn't enough water or food for him, he relents and takes him on board.


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As these 11 thirsty men traverse the unyielding desert in a tank low on fuel and plagued with engine problems, a Nazi aircraft fires on them, injuring one of their own.  Although they shoot the plane down and take its pilot prisoner, it just means one more mouth needing water...in a land of sandstorms where water is nearly non-existent.  The Nazis, as well, are in need of water and seeking a well; inevitably, the paths of the two armies are destined to cross.  How many men will survive the grueling trek across the desert?



Filmed on location in the deserts of California and Arizona, Sahara gives a very realistic portrayal of the difficulty of desert warfare.  I could definitely feel the men's thirst and fatigue; in fact, I could quite relate to it, as my husband, kids, and I had a desert encounter of our own five years ago.  On the 470-foot-high sand dunes of southwest Idaho's Bruneau Dunes State Park (75-minutes from where we live), we found ourselves without water and with a long, arduous hike to get back to our car.  How we got ourselves in such a position is a long, complicated story, but suffice to say, we were exhausted and dying of thirst...and it was in the early evening during the second week of May (translation: unlike soldiers in the North African campaign, we had no hot mid-day sun bearing down on us from a cloudless sky.)  My experience with the harshness of desert conditions makes Sahara a very real film to me (even without the warfare). I could literally feel the dust and sand and the parched throats of the men.

The acting in the film is quite good, and there are some very profound moments; of course, there are also the usual flag-waving moments.  All in all, it's a very good, 4-star film, which I highly recommend, especially as we observe Memorial Day and remind ourselves that freedom isn't free.

Just an aside---the U.S. premiere of Sahara was at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Alhtough not on the TCM schedule in the near future, Sahara is out on DVD, so it should be fairly easy to track down.  War film lovers ought to quite enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!

Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948)

For years, I have been fascinated by the British monarchy---and I'm not just talking about the current Mountbatten-Windsors.  I've been enthralled by the Tudors, the Stuarts, the Hanovers, and the Windsors.  In fact, my passionate interest in the monarchy extends back to the Lancasters and the Yorks and their War of the Roses.  So, upon looking through Stewart Granger's filmography and discovering a film based on an actual incident in the life of one who would become a British monarch, I knew it was a must-see for me.  That film---1948's Saraband for Dead Lovers---is about the real-life wife of the man who would become England's King George I.  Also starring Joan Greenwood and featuring Peter Bull, Michael Gough, and Flora Robson in supporting roles, this British film, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction, is easily a 4-star film for me.

                                                 

As the story begins in 1700's Germany, a dying woman pleads to be allowed to write a letter to her son.  Knowing that he was brought up believing that his mother had brought dishonor to the House of Hanover, she longs for him to know the truth, and as she writes the letter, her story is brought to life.

                                                           

For political gain, 16-year old Sophie Dorothea of Celle (Joan Greenwood) is wed to George Louis, Prince of Hanover (Peter Bull).  It's a marriage neither party wants, but because they must live their lives for politics, marry for politics, and bear children for politics, they do their duty.  First a son, then a daughter are born, and for Sophie Dorothea, the children are the only bright spot in her lonely life, as her husband has his share of mistresses and virtually ignores her.  All too soon, the children are taken from her to begin training for their futures.

                                   

                         

In the summer of 1689, Count Phillip Konigsmarkk of Sweden (Stewart Granger) makes a visit to Hanover.  There is an immediate connection between him and Princess Sophie, and they soon fall in love.  Though their love may never have been consummated (according to history, there is some doubt as to whether it was), the Count's feelings for Sophie are not lost on the powerful, hateful Countess Clara Platen (Flora Robson).  Attracted to Konigsmarkk herself, Clara throws herself at him, but when he fails to respond to her, she is furious.  Of course, there is no fury like that of a woman scorned, and the Countess puts in motion a plan to separate the lovers forever.



This movie is fascinating, and it appears that it hasn't greatly altered any historical facts. Sophie Dorothea and Count Konigsmarkk really did fall in love (though they may or may not have been lovers).  He did, in fact, die under mysterious circumstances, presumably at the bidding of George Louis or his henchmen, and the Princess Sophie really did spend the final thirty years of her life imprisoned, while her husband took his place on the British throne.

Stewart Granger said the Saraband "script fascinated him, as he had no idea that love affair was the reason why the wife of George I of England, the mother of George II, spent the last thirty years of her life as a prisoner in the castle at Ahlden."  Further, he said, he loved the story and the character he was to portray.  In the end, according to his autobiography, Sparks Fly Upward, Saraband for Dead Lovers "is one of the few films he'd always been proud of."

Mr. Granger is so incredibly handsome here, and he is terrific in the role.  Also, he gets a chance to wield his sword a bit...which is always fun to watch.  Joan Greenwood is exquisitely beautiful and plays her tragic part to perfection.  Flora Robson, though, takes the prize for her performance.  She is evil and nasty in a way I have never seen her before.  Finally, the film's costumes are stunning---Oscar-worthy, in my opinion.  All these things, plus my interest in the subject matter, combine to make this a 4-star, "like it a lot" film for me, quite shaking things up on the bottom half of my "top-5 Stewart Granger films" list.

Though the film is not currently on the TCM schedule, nor to my knowledge is it out on DVD, it is available in its entirety on YouTube (in parts.)  I think it's well worth viewing, especially for those who like British drama, Stewart Granger, Joan Greenwood, Flora Robson, or British monarchs.

Happy viewing!!

NOTE:  For more information about Sophie Dorothea, her alleged affair with Phillip Konigsmarkk, and her imprisonment, go HERE.

It Happens Every Spring (1949)

It Happens Every Spring, from 1949, is a fun little baseball comedy I caught last month for my celebration of the beginning of another Major League Baseball season.  Directed by Lloyd Bacon, It Happens Every Spring stars Ray Milland, Jean Peters, and Paul Douglas and features Ray Collins, Ed Begley, Jessie Royce Landis, and Alan Hale, Jr. in minor roles.  For anyone who has ever wanted to pitch in the majors, this delightful film is for you.

Vernon Simpson (Ray Milland) is a baseball lovin' college chemistry teacher, who is working on his doctorate degree.  Although he and the university president's daughter, Debby (Jean Peters), are in love, because of his poor financial condition, Vernon has been discouraged by her father (Ray Collins) from asking for her hand in marriage.

Convinced that an experimental serum he has developed is going to be bought by a large corporation, Vernon assures Debbie that it won't be much longer until they can be married; hardly have those words left his mouth when a baseball from the university's game comes sailing through the classroom window, knocking into his experiment, and sending the prized liquid all over the floor.  Because of the time involved in recreating the project, Vernon is quite distressed by the loss.

Very much by accident, Vernon discovers that the culprit baseball---now saturated by the spilled liquid---is repelled by wood.  After two of the university's baseball players are unable to hit a ball rubbed with the compound, Vernon sees an opportunity to revolutionize the game he loves, join the majors, and earn enough money for him and Debby to get married.  Without any explanation to anyone (even Debby) as to what he's up to, Vernon requests a leave of absence from the college, heads off to St. Louis, and barges into the team owner's office.

Claiming he can win 30 games and the pennant, Vernon brags that he's the guy they need. Though the team officials think he's just a crackpot, they give him a chance to pitch, and what they see astounds them. Casually rubbing his finger onto the "stuff" and then onto the ball, Vernon's pitches are unhittable, and he puts away one batter after another.  Convinced that they have just discovered their sure ticket to victory, the team immediately offers Vernon a contract.

Wanting to keep his true identity a secret, lest the folks back home find out and he get fired from the university, Vernon adopts the name King Kelly.  Together with his catcher, Monk Lanigan (Paul Douglas), the new pitching sensation leads his team to a successful season, all the while trying to remain incognito.

Meanwhile, because of Vernon's hasty, unexplained departure and the fact that he has been out of touch, the university has put out a 5-state search for him, and after Debby's mother happens to see him in the company of five men at the train station, she is convinced he's gotten involved with a bunch of gangsters.  It all plays out in a very fun, screwball kind of way.  

Not a spectacular film, but definitely very cute and loads of fun..a solid 3 stars.  The cast is perfect, and each person plays their part well.  I was especially charmed by Ray Milland. Some of his expressions crack me up.  Though not an Academy Award winner, the film did receive a Best Writing nomination.  Those who enjoy baseball comedies ought to greatly enjoy this.

Out on DVD, It Happens Every Spring should be fairly easy to track down.  Additionally, it is on the TCM schedule for Sunday, June 30th, at 2:30 p.m. (ET).

Happy viewing!!

Love Story (aka A Lady Surrenders) 1944

From Britain's Gainsborough Pictures, Ltd., comes Love Story, a wartime romantic drama from 1944. Starring Margaret Lockwood and Stewart Granger, this film bore the title A Lady Surrenders upon its release in the United States.  It's a film I had never even heard of until I went on the prowl for some of Mr. Granger's earlier works.

Wanting to do more for the war effort, concert pianist, Felicity Crichton (Margaret Lockwood), purposes to leave her career behind and take a position with the RAF WAC's.  In the physical exam required for admission to the corp, it is discovered that the fainting spells she had been having are not due to nerves as she had thought; rather, they are indicative of a fatal heart condition, resulting from her childhood battle with scarlet fever.  According to her doctor, death is inevitable...and not far off. Wanting to enjoy every single minute of the few months she has left to live, Felicity journeys to the English coast, taking on the name Lissa Campbell for anonymity.

Also visiting the English coast is Kit Firth (Stewart Granger), a former RAF pilot no longer able to serve, due to an optic nerve injury which has left him with a prognosis of blindness. Although a surgical procedure could repair the damage, the odds aren't in Kit's favor, so he has refused the operation, a decision reinforced by his childhood friend, Judy (Patricia Roc).  One of the few people aware of his condition, Judy is secretly in love with Kit and for that reason, views his impending blindness as a good thing, as it will keep him dependent upon her.

Though Lissa and Kit fall in love, in typical melodramatic fashion, neither will reveal their condition to the other.  Not wanting to burden one another, they vow a "no strings attached" kind of relationship, which means their love may not even survive the short time they could have together.



Though not spectacular, this film is well worth watching.  It is a bit on the slow side, but the story is sweet, Stewart Granger is incredibly handsome, Margaret Lockwood is lovely, and the music is beautiful.  Definitely, for me, an enjoyable, 3-star viewing experience.

Love Story is out on DVD and available through Classic Flix.  It is also available in its entirety on YouTube.

Happy viewing!!

Blanche Fury (1948)

Blanche Fury, from 1948, is a suspenseful period drama starring Stewart Granger and Valerie Hobson.  It's a film which had been in my Net Flix instant queue for many months, and I'm glad I used Mr. Granger's centennial month as an excuse to buckle down and watch it.  While not a favorite film, it is definitely an enjoyable and interesting viewing experience.

In 1860's England, proud but poor Blanche Fuller has had her fill of being a companion to rich, crochety old ladies.  Ambitious and very strong-willed, Blanche doesn't have the personality to be a successful long-term employee to those who patronize her, so she has left a whole host of positions prior to the one which begins the film.  A way out of the despised situation arrives in the form of a letter from her wealthy uncle, Simon Fury.  Due to differences of opinion between her father and her uncle, the families have long been estranged; however, Simon is in need of a governess for his motherless granddaughter, Lavinia, and Blanche is offered the position. Accepting immediately, Blanche takes up residence at Clare---the ancestral estate her uncle has recently acquired from the Fury family.  (At the time of the property acquisition, Simon Fuller chose to take on the Fury name as well.)

The estate's steward, Phillip Thorn (Stewart Granger), believes he is Clare's rightful owner, as his father was Adam Fury.  However, since documentation proving the marriage between his mother and Adam Fury has never been found, his legitimacy is denied, as is his claim to the property.  Unwilling to accept such circumstances, Thorn has become obsessed with finding a way to make Clare his own.

Simon's son, Lawrence, asks Blanche to marry him, and through her acceptance, she becomes mistress of the estate.  Though Blanche and Phillip Thorn had gotten off on a bad note, they soon become lovers; with Thorn obsessed with obtaining what he believes to belong to him, and Blanche, ambitious and having no love for her husband, the two put in plan a motion to murder those standing in the way of what they want. Whether their plan is successful or not will play out in the balance of the film.

While not a spectacular film, Blanche Fury is, nevertheless, solid and interesting...a definite 3 stars for me.  I had never heard of Valerie Hobson prior to seeing her here, but that doesn't matter.  She was quite believable as Blanche.  I really liked Stewart Granger in his role. Though his Phillip was an obsessed, driven, mostly unlikable man, I enjoyed the way Mr. Granger brought him to life.  Plus, he's always great to look at!  I might have rated the film higher had there not been some plot developments which I found totally inconsistent with the times.  Since I don't want to provide spoilers, I will just say that with the information which came out at the trial, I didn't find the townspeople's response to be in keeping with the era being portrayed.  For that reason, I decided to downgrade to 3 stars.

While not out on DVD, the film is available through Net Flix instant viewing and on YouTube.

Happy viewing!

The Stratton Story (1949)

The career of baseball pitcher, Monty Stratton, is the basis for 1949's The Stratton Story.  With Jimmy Stewart in the title role, and June Allyson as his wife, this Sam Wood film---which won a Best Writing Academy Award---features Frank Morgan and Agnes Moorehead in supporting roles.

The film begins in Wagner, Texas, in the early 1930's, as cotton farmer, Monty Stratton, is pitching for the local amateur baseball team, the Wagner Wildcats.  Agent Barney Wild (Frank Morgan) happens upon the young man and, impressed, informs him that he has a chance to play baseball professionally.  With Barney promising to do what he can to get him a tryout and his cousin agreeing to take care of the farm, Monty heads west to California, where he meets up with the Chicago White Sox.

The Sox are impressed enough to offer Monty a contract, and after a bit of a rough start, he settles in and becomes not only an all-star, but the leading right-handed pitcher in the American League.  With coaches making statements such as "What a future that boy's got" and "Right now, I wouldn't trade him for any other pitcher in baseball," Monty enjoys great success in the years 1934-1938.

At the height of his career, though, tragedy strikes, as, while on his property hunting, Monty's gun discharges, sending a bullet into his leg.  In order to save his life, doctors must remove Monty's leg; for a man whose legs are his life, the loss of the limb is a bitter blow, and for a time, Monty is overwhelmingly depressed and without a will to do anything.  Eventually, however, he comes to terms with his handicap and, with a prosthetic leg, seeks to pitch in the big leagues once more.



The Stratton Story isn't a spectacular movie, but it is interesting, touching, and inspiring.  I count it among my top 5 baseball movies.  Jimmy Stewart is terrific in the role, and his chemistry with June Allyson is wonderful.  (The two of them would be paired together twice more---in The Glenn Miller Story and Strategic Air Command.)  I adore both Jimmy and June...although I can never watch a single June Allyson film without hearing "Christopher Columbus" every time she utters a word.  (She is and always will be Little Women's Jo March to me.)

A few real-life baseball players make appearances in this film...Bill Dickey, Gene Bearden, and Jimmy Dykes.

Out on DVD as part of the James Stewart Signature Collection, The Stratton Story ought to be fairly easy to track down.  It is also on the TCM schedule for Sunday, July 21st, at 8:00 a.m. (ET).  If you like Jimmy Stewart, baseball, or inspiring, uplifting stories, you're sure to enjoy this.  I give it 4 stars.

Happy viewing!!