Father Is a Bachelor (3 stars)

Father Is a Bachelor, from 1950, is a sweet little romantic comedy starring William Holden and Coleen Gray.  It's a film in which the fabulous Mr. Holden actually plays paternal a bit, and I thought it was alot of fun seeing him in that kind of role.  He does some singing in this film, as his character is a minstrel for a quack doctor; however, it really isn't his voice we're hearing.  Rather, it's the voice of Buddy Clark.

After the phony doctor with whom he travels is arrested, Johnny Rutledge goes off fishing.  While relaxing with his line in the water, Johnny meets a little girl named May who is waiting for her mother to arrive home on the steamship.  As it turns out, though, May's mom and dad were killed in an accident six months earlier, leaving May and her four brothers all alone.  Not wanting to be put in an orphans' home, the oldest brother never told anyone about their parents' deaths, so for the past six months, the children have been trying to cope on their own. 

Although Johnny tells the children he likes being a fisherman and a roamer and that he doesn't want any ties, the children quickly grow attached to him and begin calling him Uncle Johnny.  He keeps telling them he is going to leave, but soon, the children begin to take root in his heart, and his actions belie his words.  He sells his prized watch fob in order to buy a dress for May and food for them all, and when one of the townswomen shows up at the children's home wondering about their parents, Johnny claims to be their next of kin.  In due time, he is even referring to the children as "his kids." 

Of course, the children long for Johnny to marry and settle down with them, and how that happens is what the balance of this sweet film is all about.  The little girl who plays May is totally adorable...she will steal your heart.  And the scene in which Johnny tries to sew a dress for May is quite comical---actually it put me in mind of my own attempts at sewing. 

Father Is a Bachelor is not a spectacular movie, and it is completely predictable, but it's also totally adorable.  It's sweet and cute, and for William Holden fans like me, it is a must-see.  After all, it isn't often we get a chance to see him in this kind of a role.  I don't think the film is out on DVD, nor is it on You Tube or Net Flix; however, TCM airs it periodically, so you could catch it there.  Additionally, I really am willing to loan my movies out, so don't hesitate to ask.

Happy viewing!!

Internes Can't Take Money (2 stars)

For Joel McCrea's November 5th birthday, I decided to watch Internes Can't Take Money, from 1937, a drama in which Joel stars with Barbara Stanwyck.  (The fabulous Miss Stanwyck actually gets first billing here, and the film is available as part of the Barbara Stanwyck Collection.)

Janet Haley (Stanwyck), the widow of a bank robber, is newly out of jail.  While she had no part in the robbery, she was given a 2-year sentence for not turning her husband in.  She couldn't turn him in, though, because in order to keep Janet quiet, her estranged husband had kidnapped their 11-month-old daughter.  He died before ever revealing to her where the child was, so now that she's out of jail, Janet's sole goal in life is to locate her daughter.  The only people that know the little girl's location, however, are the gangsters with whom her husband ran, and they won't help Janet for free---it's either $1,000 or her as a mistress.

Dr. Jimmy Kildare, a hospital intern who recently treated Janet for a burned wrist, happens to be sitting in a bar when a shooting occurs.  Wanting to keep the shooting from the police, the victim's friends convince Dr. Kildare to operate on the man right there in the bar, something to which he reluctantly agrees.  Janet, who had been in the same bar in order to meet with one of her late husband's gangster friends, acts as nurse for the surgery.  There is a definite connection between Janet and the doctor.

The shooting victim survives and, grateful, he gives a $1,000 cash payment to Dr. Kildare; however, since internes are not allowed to take money for their services, the doctor knows he cannot keep it.  But when Janet discovers that the doctor, with whom she is having dinner at her apartment, has $1,000, she decides to steal it.

Does Dr. Kildare, who is attracted to Janet, discover the theft?  Does Janet ever find her little girl?  These are the questions that play out in the remainder of this film.

Internes Can't Take Money never really interested me all that much.  While I totally love Barbara Stanwyck and really enjoy Joel McCrea, the film just fell flat for me.  I just never really got into their characters.  I do own this film since it's part of the Barbara Stanwyck Collection, but I will probably not ever watch it again.

Happy viewing!!

Happy 100th Birthday, Roy Rogers!!!

Happy 100th birthday to Roy Rogers, the King of the Cowboys!!  (November 5, 1911 - July 6, 1998)

There was a two-year period in the not-too-distant past when our family was devouring Roy Rogers films.  In looking for role model kinds of actors for our impressionable young children, we discovered Roy and his horse Trigger.  His movies are clean and fun.  And Roy Rogers himself was a decent and honorable man, whose deep faith influenced his everyday actions.

Roy, wife Dale Evans, horse Trigger, dog Bullet, Gabby Hayes, and others...all these were a huge part of my kids' childhood, and so, on this centennial birthday, I honor the King of the Cowboys!!

Odds Against Tomorrow (4 stars)

Odds Against Tomorrow, from 1959, is a racially explosive crime drama directed by Robert Wise, and starring Robert Ryan and Harry Belafonte, with Shelley Winters and Ed Begley taking on supporting roles. 

Ryan, who excelled at playing cynical, angry, unlikeable men, is Earl Slater, a feisty, bigoted, unemployed ex-con.  As the film begins, Earl visits with Dave Burke (Ed Begley), a dirty cop who has done prison time.  Dave has a plan for some quick, easy cash---the robbery of a smalltown bank some 100 miles from New York---and he invites Earl to take part in the action.  After Earl realizes that the final third of their team will consist of a black man, he's not so sure he's willing to get involved; however, broke, and ashamed that he lives off the earnings of his wife (Shelley Winters), he reconsiders.

The other third of Dave's robbery team is Johnny Ingram (Harry Belafonte), a down-on-his-luck gambler, who is deeply in debt.  Johnny immediately tells Dave he doesn't want to get involved in something illegal, but when his ex-wife and little girl are threatened by the man to whom he owes money, he feels he has no other choice.

As Dave, Earl, and Johnny make their way to the little town, for what is supposed to be an easy hold-up, the tensions are high.  Earl doesn't like the idea of working with a black man, and in the end, he doesn't trust Johnny enough to give him the keys to the getaway car, an action that just may prove to have disastrous results.

Odds Against Tomorrow is an interesting, well-acted film, though I readily admit that the ending wasn't too original---it seemed to have been copied from White Heat.  Still, though, I really enjoyed the film.  Robert Ryan was great, as always.  I absolutely love him in roles like this.  Harry Belafonte, whom I have no exposure to at all, was good as well.  And there's even an opportunity to hear him sing.

The film is out on DVD, plus it's available on Net Flix instant viewing and in several parts on You Tube.  Hope you get a chance to see it.  Happy viewing!!

30 Years This Month

Thirty years ago this month, the gorgeous face above departed this life.  Yes, November, 1981, saw the fabulous and incredibly handsome William Holden passing away.  I've discovered some conflicting information as to the exact date of his death; some sites list it as November 12th, others list it as November 16th.  What I do know for sure is that he died in his home, the result of hitting his head in a fall. 

As my way of remembering my all-time favorite actor on the 30th anniversary of his death, I will be watching plenty of Holden films this month...as if I need an excuse to do that, right?  Some of the films I intend to watch are:

1.  Rachel and the Stranger---sweet film which also stars Loretta Young and Robert Mitchum

2.  Bridge on the River Kwai---I think Mr. Holden's performance in this film was every bit as stellar as those of Alec Guinness and Sessue Hayakawa, so I'm not sure why he didn't receive an Academy Award nomination and they did.

3.  Sabrina---such an adorable romantic comedy.  Yes, it's more Humphrey Bogart's film than Bill Holden's, but I totally love him in this.

4.  Toward the Unknown---a film I've never seen before.  TCM has it on their schedule on November 12th.

5.  Father Is a Bachelor---sweet little film where my #1 guy plays paternal

6.  Picnic---ah, that dance scene he shares with Kim Novak is to die for!

7.  Stalag 17---his Academy Award winning role.  I've seen this film at least a dozen times, but it never gets old.  I love it!

8.  21 Hours at Munich---available through Net Flix instant viewing, this is a film I've never seen before.  NF reviews on this are mixed, so I'm not sure what to expect.  Have any of y'all ever seen it?  If so, what did you think of it?

Thirty years gone, but thankfully, through all these wonderful films, William Holden lives on!!