Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (7 Viewers)

[Robert Crawford]

Today's viewing:

Not great, but an entertaining movie. My main gripe is the constant talking into the camera done by the main character. Other than that, I don't have any real complaints about it.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Has anybody seen "The Limehouse Golem" as I see iTunes have it on sale for $4.99?

 

[Robert Crawford]

 

[Robert Crawford]

Have you watched "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix, Robert? Highly recommended if you haven't. Like Eddie, I also feel my time spent online is coming to a close...

I don't mind being online with people that has similar interests like classic movies and home theater. By the way, yesterday, I did watch "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix and it was really informative.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Man, I'm looking forward to this weekend's Noir Alley.

 

[Matt Hough]

Man, I'm looking forward to this weekend's Noir Alley.

Me, too. I'm always hungry for it when I take "a week off" when I'm overly familiar with one of their presentations.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I spent the day watching a couple of movies on the TCM app. Both movies I haven't seen in a while so I really enjoyed revisiting them again. The first movie was "Joan of Paris" (1942) starring Paul Henreid, Michele Morgan, Thomas Mitchell, Laird Cregar, May Robson and Alan Ladd. I believe this was the first Hollywood movie for both Henreid and Morgan while Ladd was just about to hit the big time later that year with "This Gun for Hire" and "The Glass Key". The storyline is about five RAF airmen that were shot down during a raid near Paris and their journey to get in touch with the French Resistance and return to England. One of the five is a Free French pilot that joined the RAF after France surrender to Germany. He meets a young woman, who helps him in his quest to escape the Gestapo and return to England. A solid WWII movie that has a few sequences that are very effective emotionally and serve its purpose to promote the war effort in 1942.

My second movie was "The Secret Fury" (1950) starring Claudette Colbert, Robert Ryan, Paul Kelly and Philip Ober. Another RKO film noir with a distinctive psychological theme to it in which a woman is driven to insanity and perhaps murder after her wedding ceremony was interrupted by a stranger that claims she is already married to another man. A really good movie, though, it has some implausible plot points like most movies from that film era. One interesting fact about the movie, it was directed by Mel Ferrer and one of the supporting actors in the cast was Jose Ferrer, the same year in which Jose starred in the film adaptation of "Cyrano de Bergerac" which won him the Best Actor Oscar the same year as this movie was released. Back in the late 1940's, Jose won the Tony for the Broadway play in which Mel Ferrer was the first director of that play before he was replaced. The Ferrers weren't related as Mel had some Spanish blood while Jose was of Puerto Rican descent.

Also, two things I always remembered about this movie is that Vivian Vance had a small, but important role in this movie and the

Spoiler

surprise twist ending and how the real murderer is killed.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

They Won''t Believe Me. Good story, which is what you would expect from anything Joan Harrison touched. I've been watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents again lately and the choices of short stories or even novels to adapt are always entertaining. And they really are Noirs, with the caveat that Hitchcock was required (probably by Standards and Practices) to coda each story that they really didn't get away with the murder, and justice caught up with them. Nod nod, wink wink.

I don't know why, but I guess I'll attribute it to age, but I'm often a half hour into one of these films before I realize I've seen this before. I also remember it was somewhat refreshing to see Robert Young play a heel. And, no spoiler, but I doubt he was ever present when they shot that abrupt ending. Body double time. He probably didn't even know the choice they made until he saw the finished picture.

Spoiler

I had the same reaction as Muller; you're going to shoot the guy so he doesn't commit suicide? Yah. Right. Meanwhile, we only got Young's version of how his real wife is killed. As an unreliable witness, maybe he did push her off the cliff. Finding the note and her apparent suicide was a bit too convenient. But such are the twists of interesting stories.

I may have to pick up the Harrison biography, as long as it's not too scholarly. It's got to have some juice and drama to do her proud.

 

[Matt Hough]

I had never seen They Won't Believe Me, but it was very enjoyable. When Jane Greer showed up in Jamaica, I knew something was up and was surprised he fell for it. I really wouldn't have classified this as a noir, but I did like the ending and didn't feel like they made the ending ambiguous at all. What Eddie said was his ultimate reading of Young's behavior at the climax was naturally my initial reaction making the ending the height of irony.

 

[Robin9]

I had never seen They Won't Believe Me, but it was very enjoyable. When Jane Greer showed up in Jamaica, I knew something was up and was surprised he fell for it. I really wouldn't have classified this as a noir, but I did like the ending and didn't feel like they made the ending ambiguous at all. What Eddie said was his ultimate reading of Young's behavior at the climax was naturally my initial reaction making the ending the height of irony.

Did they show the full version or the usual abbreviated version? I did once, very long ago, see the full version and when the film was later on TV, I noticed some things were missing. I've never seen the complete film since but I'd love to.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Did they show the full version or the usual abbreviated version? I did once, very long ago, see the full version and when the film was later on TV, I noticed some things were missing. I've never seen the complete film since but I'd love to.

Unfortunately, it's the cut version of the film. I have seen this movie several times, but never the original 95 minute version.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I had never seen They Won't Believe Me, but it was very enjoyable. When Jane Greer showed up in Jamaica, I knew something was up and was surprised he fell for it. I really wouldn't have classified this as a noir, but I did like the ending and didn't feel like they made the ending ambiguous at all. What Eddie said was his ultimate reading of Young's behavior at the climax was naturally my initial reaction making the ending the height of irony.

This is one of the plot points that always bothered me about this movie. How many by coincidence meetings does he have with this woman.

 

[Robert Crawford]

They Won''t Believe Me. Good story, which is what you would expect from anything Joan Harrison touched. I've been watching Alfred Hitchcock Presents again lately and the choices of short stories or even novels to adapt are always entertaining. And they really are Noirs, with the caveat that Hitchcock was required (probably by Standards and Practices) to coda each story that they really didn't get away with the murder, and justice caught up with them. Nod nod, wink wink.

I don't know why, but I guess I'll attribute it to age, but I'm often a half hour into one of these films before I realize I've seen this before. I also remember it was somewhat refreshing to see Robert Young play a heel. And, no spoiler, but I doubt he was ever present when they shot that abrupt ending. Body double time. He probably didn't even know the choice they made until he saw the finished picture.

Spoiler

I had the same reaction as Muller; you're going to shoot the guy so he doesn't commit suicide? Yah. Right. Meanwhile, we only got Young's version of how his real wife is killed. As an unreliable witness, maybe he did push her off the cliff. Finding the note and her apparent suicide was a bit too convenient. But such are the twists of interesting stories.

I may have to pick up the Harrison biography, as long as it's not too scholarly. It's got to have some juice and drama to do her proud.

I don't believe it was a

Spoiler

suicide instead she accidently fell below as she was descending that cliff.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A busy day on Sunday with three movies and several NFL games I watched on DirecTV's Sunday Ticket.

It's not a good movie, but, I enjoy watching it due to the cast and seeing beautiful Hedy Lamarr. This WWII espionage movie has a few plot holes, but the cast makes it watchable. The cast includes Lamarr, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Joseph Calleia, Victor Francen and Vladimir Sokoloff. The movie's storyline is about "The Flying Dutchman", a Dutch Underground agent trying to escape the Nazis by leaving Lisbon for England, where he comes in contact with other Allies Underground members, Gestapo agents and local police officials while falling in love with Lamarr. In reality, a seasoned Underground agent would try to get out of Lisbon for England without any romantic entanglements even if it's with Lamarr.

Another flawed movie that is just too long for my taste. This 1946 WWII fantasy movie has an excellent cast with several Warner contract actors including John Garfield, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Eleanor Parker, Faye Emerson, George Tobias, Edmund Gwenn and George Coulouris. The movie is about a group of people that are passengers on a ship bound for the hereafter and their destiny based on how they lived their lives. The movie has some plot holes, but the cast's acting helps me overlook those holes. As some of you know, Garfield and Parker are personal favorite actors of mine which is another thing this movie has going for it.

A favorite film of mine, but I always thought this movie has some plot points that the Production Code caused the movie's impact to be weaken. My earlier thoughts from one of my previous viewings. Why couldn't I have found a wife like Rita Johnson? I would have no problem being her kept husband. Anyhow, what a heal Robert Young's character was and kind of stupid too. Once he found out a certain character was trying to uncover some stuff about him, I would have left the country, but that's movies for you.

 

[bujaki]

A busy day on Sunday with three movies and several NFL games I watched on DirecTV's Sunday Ticket.

View attachment 79293

It's not a good movie, but, I enjoy watching it due to the cast and seeing beautiful Hedy Lamarr. This WWII espionage movie has a few plot holes, but the cast makes it watchable. The cast includes Lamarr, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Joseph Calleia, Victor Francen and Vladimir Sokoloff. The movie's storyline is about "The Flying Dutchman", a Dutch Underground agent trying to escape the Nazis by leaving Lisbon for England, where he comes in contact with other Allies Underground members, Gestapo agents and local police officials while falling in love with Lamarr. In reality, a seasoned Underground agent would try to get out of Lisbon for England without any romantic entanglements even if it's with Lamarr.

View attachment 79294

Another flawed movie that is just too long for my taste. This 1946 WWII fantasy movie has an excellent cast with several Warner contract actors including John Garfield, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Eleanor Parker, Faye Emerson, George Tobias, Edmund Gwenn and George Coulouris. The movie is about a group of people that are passengers on a ship bound for the hereafter and their destiny based on how they lived their lives. The movie has some plot holes, but the cast's acting helps me overlook those holes. As some of you know, Garfield and Parker are personal favorite actors of mine which is another thing this movie has going for it.

View attachment 79295

A favorite film of mine, but I always thought this movie has some plot points that the Production Code caused the movie's impact to be weaken. My earlier thoughts from one of my previous viewings. Why couldn't I have found a wife like Rita Johnson? I would have no problem being her kept husband. Anyhow, what a heal Robert Young's character was and kind of stupid too. Once he found out a certain character was trying to uncover some stuff about him, I would have left the country, but that's movies for you.

Robert, I assume you have seen the earlier version of Between Two Worlds? Outward Bound (1930). Somewhat creaky and it has the unbearable Beryl Mercer. But it was well regarded in its time.
I understand that Image released a complete version of They Won't Believe Me on laserdisc. I never bought it so I, like you, have never seen an uncut version of the film.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Robert, I assume you have seen the earlier version of Between Two Worlds? Outward Bound (1930). Somewhat creaky and it has the unbearable Beryl Mercer. But it was well regarded in its time.
I understand that Image released a complete version of They Won't Believe Me on laserdisc. I never bought it so I, like you, have never seen an uncut version of the film.

I know about that version, but, never seen it. Frankly, I have little interest in seeing it as the 1944 version is mostly tolerable for me because of its cast of actors.

 

[B-ROLL]

A busy day on Sunday with three movies and several NFL games I watched on DirecTV's Sunday Ticket.

View attachment 79293

It's not a good movie, but, I enjoy watching it due to the cast and seeing beautiful Hedy Lamarr.

!

 

[Robert Crawford]

View attachment 79313 !

I wondered how long it would take for somebody to make a corny connection to Hedley.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I finally sat down and watch "Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet" (1940) in its entirety from beginning to end. Previously, I have watched this movie in 15-30 minute segments. For some strange reason I could never sit down to watch the entire movie in one sitting until Monday. A good movie that took some dramatic licensing especially regarding what really happened between Ehrlich and Emil Von Behring regarding their work on diphtheria. In reality,

Spoiler

Behring cheated Ehrlich out of his share of recognition and reward which isn't in the movie at all.

There are some fine acting performances by Edward G, Ruth Gordon as his devoted wife, Otto Kruger as Behring, Donald Crisp, Sig Ruman and Maria Ouspenskaya. Making this movie made certain parties nervous due to Ehrlich's work in fighting syphilis. Anyhow, despite taking dramatic licensing, Warner was really good in making quality bio-pics during the 1940's.

My second movie on Monday was "Lightning Strikes Twice" (1951) starring Ruth Roman, Richard Todd, Mercedes McCambridge, Zachary Scott and Darryl Hickman. A convoluted drama with a few hints of film noir about a man convicted then found innocent of killing his unfaithful wife in Texas. After the second trial, the man is released, and he journeys back to his hometown where he meets a beautiful actress and eventually finds the real murderer. IMO, the movie isn't that good and wastes some good acting talent. This movie could've been good with a better screenplay. The only good thing was watching a "smoking" Ruth Roman, who I always thought was a very attractive woman.

 

[HawksFord]

My wife and I both liked They Won't Believe Me.

Spoiler

Our assumption was that Robert Young's character was lying about everything, and we spent a good deal of time trying to decide how it all really went down.