A High Wind in Jamaica (1965)

Plot:  In 1870, Cuban Pirates capture several children on their way back to England
Stars: Anthony Quinn, James Coburn

Why are so many movie-makers attracted to filming great novels? It never turns out well, since the novel's greatness rarely translates to the screen.  A High Wind in Jamaica is a case in point.  The book is great because of its style, ironical humor, and insight into children's minds - none of which can filmed.

As a result, the film has to make do with the externals - the plot and the character's outward actions. Neither of which are remarkable.  Even worse, the film retains the faults of the novel.  The children and Pirates all blend together - except for Emily, the Captain and the First Mate. Everyone else is a cipher.

Further, book's sad ending is made even sadder.  In the novel, "Emily" breaks down in tears and sobs about "killing" and "a knife". Its very ambiguous - but the Judge concludes the Pirates killed the Dutch Captain - and they're hanged.  The movie makes it even worse.  Movie "Emily" deliberately lies about the killing to protect herself.  And then the movie tacks on an ironical "look at those innocent kids" ending.

Basically, this is a story that should only be made into a fun romp - a Disney movie - or not made at all. Otherwise, you get a "family film" which isn't fit for the "family." 

The Acting
And its not Quinn's best performance.  He stomps around and looks exasperated but he's not funny or very interesting, and the same is true of Coburn.

The Adaptation
Despite being overrated (71st best novel of the 20th century? I think not), A High Wind in Jamaica, is a very good, well-written novel about children and pirates.

The movie changes several things:

 First about 1/3 of this 240 page novel deals with life in Jamaica and kid's experience AFTER they leave the Pirate ship.  Only about 160 pages deals with the Pirates. The movie focuses almost exclusively on the Pirate ship. Out of 120 minutes, about 15 minutes deals with Jamaica and the Trial in England.

Second,  Hughes wrote an "anti-Peter Pan" story. Instead of Peter Pan's amoral Pirates and too-good-to-be-true kids, we get the opposite. I.e. pirates who are too-good-to-be-true and amoral kids. This doesn't really come across in the movie - since we can't get inside the children's minds.

Of course, as anyone who remembers their childhood, children can be quite heartless and callous. And kids forget quickly, one moment a skinned knee is the world's utmost tragedy, the next moment its forgotten.  However, Hughes exaggerates this for polemical purposes.  I sincerely doubt that an elder brother could die and all his siblings not giving a damn, or that children would forget their parents within a week.  Finally, most children have a strong sense of fair play, and right and wrong, even if they can't articulate it.

Other differences:  The novel of course, has "Disney" moments, but its undercut by the narrator's irony and the description. And the brutality is written but minimized. For example, when John falls to his death, the novel states this in two mater of fact sentences. But in film, a kid falling to his death has a big impact.

Crime Wave (1953)

Plot:   A reformed criminal is caught between the police and his former prison pals.
Stars:  Sterling Hayden, Phyllis Kirk, Gene Nelson
Best Quote: How come the smart guys are inside [prison] and the dopes outside?

A low-budget hard boiled crime movie made enjoyable by superior direction, good acting, and a tight script (only 73 minutes).  Its a routine story, but not a moment is wasted. Most of the film is shot on location, and its cool to see 1953 Los Angeles in all its glory.

Hayden is well cast as the gruff, tough as nails Police Sargent while Nelson and Kirk make a believable couple. Supporting cast standouts include:  Charles Bronson as a violent, not too bright hood,  Ted de Corisa as the suave "Doc Penny", and Dub Taylor as a Gas station attendant. Timothy Carey has almost no lines, but he's so full of psycho menace, you can't take your eyes off him.

Top 60 Crime Movies

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White Heat

Pat and Mike (1952) - Cukor

Plot;  A  great woman athlete is torn between her shady sports manager  and her middle-class fiance.
Stars: Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Aldo Ray, William Ching
Best Quote: Not much meat on her, but what's there is 'cherce'.

Showcasing Hepburn's athletic talent, Pat and Mike has some good lines and humorous moments , but its weighed down by overly-long sports sequences and  repetitive situations. Even at 95 minutes, it seems padded. Examples? After Pat beats-up two gangsters, she then replays the whole fight - in slow motion - for the Police. Also, we see Pat lose *three* times when her fiance (Ching) jinxes her - and it wasn't funny the first time.

As for the Actors: Aldo Ray steals every scene, and Jim Backus, Charles Bronson and Chuck Connors do well in bit parts. Hepburn and Tracy are skilled pros - although Tracy should have dropped the "dem and dos" accent. William Ching fares poorly. He's annoying and has zero chemistry with Hepburn - their relationship is unbelievable.

Summary: A middling Tracy-Hepburn comedy, I'd place it above Desk Set, but its a definite cut below Adam's Rib and Woman of the Year.  Some good jokes, but a weak story line and too much padding.  Although Hepburn dominates the movie (Tracy has few lines in the first 30 minutes) her character is strangely passive.

The Most Unusual Hepburn-Tracy Comedy
Supposedly Hepburn's favorite comedy with Tracy, you can understand why. This is really Hepburn's movie.  As stated before, Tracy has few lines before the 30 minute mark, and we see Hepburn playing golf and tennis for at least 15 minutes. But its their oddest comedy, because Hepburn's character is so passive.

In most of the comedies, Hepburn stays true to her established comic persona. She's the strong, smart women. Sometimes a little over-the-top, a "charming bulldozer" - that Tracy needs to rein in.  But in Pat and Mike,  she's  strong in body, but weak in head. She's so eager to please her fiancee she collapses under the pressure.  She rebels against him, but then allows herself to be dominated by her shady sports manager. Unlike most Tracy-Hepburn comedies, there is no "battle of the sexes" and I can't think of a single smart, funny, line by Hepburn.

Z (1969) - Costa-Garvas

Plot:  In 1960's Greece, a left-wing politician is hit by a truck. A meretricious prosecutor investigates. Was it an accident  - or a political assassination?
Stars: Yves Montand, Irene Papas
Best Quote: I'd decided to attend the Bolshoi. Not out of love for dance. I'm no pervert, thank God. But it was a chance to spot sympathizers.

A well-made political crime movie that was both a box-office and critical success.  The acting is top-notch and - after the murder - the movie grabs your interest and doesn't let up till the end. Its quite enjoyable. It has three flaws:

• The  murder doesn't occur till the 25 minute mark - that's a long set-up and prologue, where not much happens.
• It really stacks the deck - subtle it ain't. The Leftist good guys are young, smart, and/or good-looking. The bad guys are stupid, ugly, and middle-aged.  Surprisingly, the villain is a homosexual who molests boys. 
• Because its a left-wing movie, its been hysterically overpraised. Yes, its a *good* movie, but its not particularly "Thrilling" - and its definitely NOT,  as several critics have stated: "The epitome of cinematic excellence!" or "The Ultimate Political Thriller".  Of course, there aren't many political thrillers - so being the "Best" is akin to being the tallest building in Omaha.  

Desk Set (1957)

Plot:  An Efficiency Engineer clashes with the Head of Corporate Research over computerization.
Stars: Katherine Hepburn, Gig Young, Spencer Tracy, Joan Blondell
Best Quote: -You don't care whether you impress people or not, do you?
-You wait until you get my bill. You'll be impressed.

Shot in wide-screen technicolor, this is the last, and least of the Tracy-Hepburn Comedies.  Its a low-key, relaxed, Rom-com - or should I say Senior-Com. Based on a Broadway play, we get less "battle of the sexes" banter and more jokes about automation & intelligence tests. All the actors do well, especially Hepburn. But having white-haired Tracy (he looks 65) and handsome 40-something Gig Young competing for 50 year-old Hepburn is ridiculous. They should've replaced Gig with someone older, say Ralph Bellamy.

Summary:  Recommended for Katherine Hepburn or Spenser Tracy fans, its a mediocre trifle made enjoyable by the three lead actors and supporting cast.

What Tracy Thought
Per his biography: Tracy thought himself too old for the role, and wasn't too happy with the script. But his desire to do one last comedy with Hepburn overcame the objections. Had Tracy declined, the Producers had Astaire as 2nd choice, but Hepburn would've been dropped. Location shooting in NYC was dropped since it would've added $400,000 to a movie with a modest budget.

Caged (1950)

Plot:   A naive 19 year old gets sent to a tough Woman's Prison.
Stars: Eleanor Parker, Hope Emerson, Agnes Moorehead
Best Quote: That trained seal can sure ask a lot of questions. Who is this Pearl Harbor anyway? What is she, an inmate?

Women in Prison films are usually camp. Y'now - lesbians, cat-fights, and lots of beautiful young things taking communal showers. But Caged isn't camp.  It received 3 AA nominations, and pushes prison reform.  Sure, it has some melodrama, but overall its fast paced, well-directed prison tale.  Acting highlights include Hope Emerson as the corrupt, sadistic, prison matron, and Parker** - who believably changes from doe-eyed Bambi to hardened Con. Moorehead lends fine support as the soft-hearted warden. Because its 1950, lesbianism and drug use are shown in subtle, yet unmistakable ways.

** = how Judy Holliday won the Oscar for best actress over Bette Davis, Gloria Swanson and Parker defies belief.

Man Who Love Women (1977) - Truffaut

A very amusing comedy-drama about an obsessed skirt-chaser who literally dies chasing women. As per title, the male lead loves woman and is not a "Lady killer' interested in his selfish gratification. While a comedy (IMO) the last part is more melancholy as he realizes that quantity is no substitute for quality.

I was surprised how seriously some took the film and how relatively obscure it is. To me, its an obvious satire of womanizing. Summary: A well written comedy. But while I enjoyed it, most would rate it much lower. Rating ***1/2

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)

 Best Quote: Life is hard, it is even harder when your stupid.

Robert Mitchum shines an aging small time Boston hood on his way to Jail. He brings his hang-dog sleepiness and world-weariness to the lead role. The supporting acting (Peter Boyle especially), and direction are very good. Not an action flick, but well paced at 102 minutes. Shot entirely in Boston and has a realistic feel

Summary: A well-done little film about small-time crooks - losers. The title is ironic, Eddie hasn't any friends. One of Mitchum’s best. Rating ***

The Browning Version (1951)

Plot: Based on the play by Terrance Ratigan. A bitter, middle-aged schoolmaster faces his failing marriage and failed career. 
Pros: Script, acting
Cons: Some characters too black and white.
Best Quote:  I may have been a brilliant scholar, but I was woefully ignorant of the facts of life.

A filmed play that won Redgrave several acting awards. Its starts out slow but builds up steam and is very moving at the end. But Redgrave overdoes the "emotional cripple" aspect early in the play, thereby making it harder to believe his turnaround later. And his wife is too unsympathetic. A little nuance or complexity would have been welcome. Summary An excellent filmed play and serious character study. Rating ***

Green Fire (1954)

Best Quote:  You're right, Rian. I was thinking like a woman. I was thinking of my Grandfather and how he hacked a plantation out of the wilderness. And my father who made it his life. And all that's gone into it: love and feeling and pride. Things you wouldn't know about. Things you can't buy with your emeralds.

Grace Kelly and Stewart Granger star in this unremarkable adventure story about an Emerald Mine, an adventurer, and a Coffee Plantation owner. Neither Granger or Kelly have to do much acting. Kelly looks great and is well costumed, the production values are high and the action scene well done. But the script and story are nothing more than adequate.  Summary: An MGM movie that tries to get by on Wide-screen cinematography, an exotic location, and Grace Kelly's star power. Not bad- when seen on a 42 inch TV screen -but forgettable. Rating **1/2

Hamsun (1996)

Hamsun was a famous Norwegian novelist and poet. This focuses on WW II and Hamsun's troubled marriage, his collaboration with the Germans, and his trial and post-war life. Note: I haven't read Hamsun's novels. 

Pros: The main positive is the acting. Von Sydow and Ghita Norby and simply fantastic as the two leads. Its also a complex, rich, atmospheric study of their marriage and their collaboration. The era's politics and historical details are shown in an adult historically accurate manner - for example, the Nazi's are not cartoon characters.
Cons: At 159 minutes the movie is long and the pace is often slow and deliberate. Further, the bitterness of the Hamsun' marriage and Hamsun's stiff-necked crankiness grew annoying at times Rating ***

Naked City (1948)

Best Quote: There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.

Film Noir/Police procedural shot almost entirely on location in 1947 New York City. The city is the real star and its fascinating to see the real building and real New Yorkers of 70 years ago. Other pluses include Barry Fitzgerald as the chief detective, Ted de Corsia, Duff, and the Dassain direction, especially the action scenes at the end. Cons: the supporting cast is barely adequate, the story is routine and Hellinger's narration is obtrusive, corny, and unbearable at times. Overall , the film is above-average due to the location shots, Rating ***

The Big Clock (1948)

Best Quote: On the fourth floor - in the broom closet - a bulb has been burning for several days. Find the man responsible, dock his pay.

A Film Noir. Ray Milland plays a newspaper executive being framed for murder by his publisher. The big positive is the acting. Milland is solid and Charles Laughton is excellent as the manipulative, egotistical publisher. His real life wife, Elsa Lanchester has a small -but memorable - role as an eccentric painter. Macready and Margaret Sullivan are perfectly cast.

The direction is good and the photography excellent. The script has problems. The main plot is so convoluted and muddled the film quickly loses tension and ends with the standard shootout And the cat-and-mouse game between Milland and Laughton misses the mark. If only Hitchcock had directed! Still, a solid Film Noir. Rating **1/2

Heat (1995) - Mann

Best Quote:  I do what I do best, I take scores. You do what you do best, try to stop guys like me.

Well-acted and executed (if formulaic) action film. Al Pacino is a cop after Robert De Niro - the leader of band of armed robbers. Val Kilmer and Jon Voight lend support. Of course, Pacino is often over-the-top, and De Niro is often cool to point of being comatose, but mostly these two heavyweights deliver the goods. 

Other pluses: the action scenes are thrilling and locations attractive. On the downside: The story and characters are pretty standard as is most of the dialogue. And its too long at 3 hours, But an enjoyable action movie. Rating ***

The Departed (2006) - Scorsese

Best Quote: What Freud said about the Irish is: We're the only people who are impervious to psychoanalysis.

Based on the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs. Jack Nicholson plays a Boston Mafia Kingpin whose a target of a police undercover investigation. Leo DiCaprio plays the undercover cop, while Mat Damon is policeman on the take. A typical Hollywood crime movie. The production values are high, the acting is excellent, and the cine-photography is gorgeous. But except for a few Jack Nicholson one-liners, the script is mediocre with 4-letter words substituting for interesting dialogue.

The story itself isn't bad, but numerous subplots slow the action and movie is a bloated 151 minutes. After a good start, we lost interest and soon were Fast-forwarding past the tedious "romance" and other dull patches. Add the unlikable characters (even our hero is a whiny bore) and massive plot holes and you have a mediocre movie. Too bad, given the talent involved it could have been great movie. Rating **1/2 

Lone Star (1996) - Sayles

Best Quote: This stretch of road runs between nowhere and not much else.

Story of inter-family and inter-racial relations in a Texas Border town. In the main story, a Sheriff searches for the truth about his father and a 40 year old Murder. Uneven and sluggish. I found the murder mystery and flashbacks with Kris Kristofferson very good, but the rest of the subplots bored me.

Sayles is unable to write convincing Black or Hispanic characters. His nonwhite characters are either stereotypes or culturally white. And the romance with the Sheriff and his former high school girlfriend was dull. Further, he overdoes the evil 1950's White Sheriff bit. I doubt even in Texas, that a Sheriff could kill 12 Mexicans/Blacks for "resisting arrest" without someone noticing. The acting is well done, the problem is the script. Rating **1/2

If (1968) - Anderson

Best Quote: Education in Britain is a nubile Cinderella: sparsely clad and much interfered with.

Story of a rebellious student in an English boarding school which ends on a surrealistic Bunuel note. Definitely a product of the 1960s counter-culture. Well acted and directed - I enjoyed the first three-quarters. Sadly, in last 15 minutes, the movie becomes surrealistic - in a bad way - no doubt because Anderson couldn't think up a good ending.

The other flaw is the lead character (McDowell) - our "Hero" - is an obnoxious, snotty, left-wing twit, who hangs up pictures of Lenin.  The movie treats him as an oppressed character - despite the fact no one forced him to stay at an expensive boarding school. When the "evil" headmasters beat him both us clapped and hoped they'd whack him a few more times. Rating **1/2

The President's Analyst (1967)

James Coburn stars in this comedy about a psychoanalyst whose hired to treat the President, he isn't "crazy" - he just needs someone to talk to. Coburn is the best thing about the movie and shows his comedic acting skills. The first half isn't bad as it satirizes the FBI, CIA, 1960's politics and the Presidency. I know a little about 1960's - so I got all the jokes, but much of the humor is dated. The second half degenerates into a bad James Bond spoof. The supporting cast and direction are competent. Rating **

The Lost Patrol (1934) - Ford

Best Quote: The Sergeant: Yeah, I know what you're thinkin'. Perhaps I've done everything wrong! Perhaps this and perhaps that! But what I've done I've done, and what I haven't, I haven't!

Good little war film set during the 1917 Mesopotamia Campaign. A Desert patrol is ambushed, and the Sargent (Victor McLaglen) leads the patrol to an oasis to await rescue. While waiting they battle the desert and unseen enemy snipers. Boris Karloff and Wallace Ford lend support. Fast paced little movie (72 minutes) but it's more of a character study than an "action" film Ford's direction is masterly. For the most part the acting is excellent, the only off-note is Karloff as a "religious fanatic" - who seems out of place in a realistic film Rating **1/2 

When Worlds Collide (1951) Pal.

Best Quote:  You've spent too much time in the stars. You don't know anything about living. The law of the jungle... the human jungle. I do... I've spent my life at it! You don't know what your civilized people will do to cling to life. I do because I know I'd cling if I had to kill to do it.

And so will you. We're the lucky ones... the handful with the chance to reach another world. And we'll use those guns... YOU'LL use them, Doctor, to keep your only chance to stay alive!

Fifties SF classic. The Government refuses to take action, so a small group builds a rocket ship to escape the coming collision between Earth and a distant planet. The main focus in on building the rocket and deciding who goes gets to go. The Special effects seem laughable today but won an Oscar in 1951. The film has a naive, goofy charm and after overlooking various plot-holes the size of planet Zyra, I found it very enjoyable, especially John Hoyt as the rich, evil, Randian in a wheel chair.Rating ***

Anna Christie (1930)

Best Quote:  Gimme a whisky, ginger ale on the side, and don't be stingy, baby!

Garbo plays a former prostitute in the film adaption of the O'Neill play. I disagree with the reviews I've read. Unlike them, I loved the story/script (play), the supporting players, especially Dressler, and the static/primitive camerawork didn't bother me. Yeah, its a filmed play - so what. My problem was Garbo. Yes, what a face! But that deep, flat, emotionless voice. Ugh. Not to mention the thick Swedish accent. I needed someone who could bring the lines to life. She seemed like a zombie. To her credit, Garbo seemed more animated in the German version. Rating **1/2

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Plot:  A misunderstood SoCal teenager has troubles at school and problems at home.
Stars:  James Dean, Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood,  Jim Backus
Most Laughable Quote:  "Why did you shoot those puppies, John?"

The movie that made James Dean a legend.  A rather unbelievable story about a new High School student who manages to get into a knife fight, a deadly "chicken run", fall in love, AND resolve his family problems - all within a week. However, its well done. Surprisingly, the "family problem" revolves around his father's lack of back-bone and  not "wearing the pants in the family".  The Acting? Dean and Backus do a great job, but everyone else seems over-the-top especially Mineo.

Summary A Teenage 1950s movie - best seen when young. Since I'm quite old it didn't resonate. The more you've lived - the harder it is to care about the "tragedies" of youth.  Oh, they don't like you at the new school?  Well, wait until you go to work, and the Boss doesn't like you! And if you're sad about your Dad, well wait until *you* become a Dad and have a Son like you! Now that's a tragedy. Rating **1/2