136. King Kong (1933) The story is well known and the special effects are dated but I was surprised how much I liked this film. The story has a naive charm and Fay Wray was quite attractive. It even has some unintended humor (the Dinosaur scenes) The later 2 Kongs bored me (3 hours!). This version seems interested in just telling the story straight and efficiently. Rating ***
200. Show People (1928) - Hilarious Marion Davies silent comedy about "Peggy Pepper" who comes to Hollywood to become a star. Bill Haines co-stars as "Billy Boone" a bit-player in crude comedy shorts. What a revelation - Marion Davies is very funny. And the movie is a great lampoon on Hollywood and its pretensions. Davies & Haines are a wonderful team, and the guest shots from the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, William S. Hart, and John Gilbert, and Elinor Glyn are good.
Rating - ***
201. Little Caesar (1931) - Edgar G. Robinson stars as the Gangster "Rico"- who rockets up from the gutter and then back again. While Rico doesn't care for drink or Dames, he cares a little too much for his "straight" (in more ways than one) friend Douglas Fairbanks. A crude, low budget gangster flick with good pace and some memorable scenes. Like "Public Enemy" the movie is carried by star, Robinson is really the whole picture. The supporting cast is a mixed bag - some wooden performances and actors using gestures more appropriate to silent movies. Rating - **1/2
202. Them (1954) Fun, B-grade SF movie about "mutant" ants causing a ruckus in the California desert. You see the atomic tests irradiated the ants causing them to grow a little too big for public safety. The acting is excellent (James Whitmore and James Arness) and the special effects are superb given the time. The template for the Godzilla movies. Rating - **1/2
209. Hobson's Choice (1954) David Lean's production o f the 1915 drama-comedy about owner of a boot shop whose independent older daughter decides to get married. Charles Laughton overacts- but is mostly enjoyable. (Would have loved Robert Morely in the part). Photography is superb and the supporting cast is excellent. But the pace is too slow & the story loses energy as it goes along. But a good little picture. Rating - ***
184. Thieves Highway (1947) - Jules Dassain. B movie about a long-haul trucker (Conte) who returns home from WWII and seeks vengeance against (Lee J. Cobb) a ruthless SF produce marketeer. Valentina Cortese plays the female lead. The acting is good and Dassian gets as much as he can out of the low budget and mediocre script. Billed as a Noir but its really more of a drama. Enjoyable, but I wonder why Criterion bothered. Rating **1/2
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