Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

So I watched a "Crawdaddy Film" as my latest flick in an unusual burst of viewing this past week!

It's among a number of noir titles that are in my too watch list that I never seem to get to. But this one seemed like just the right fit for today's viewing window.

As always, I loved Barbara Stanwyck. And the rest of the cast was just right. I was confident that both Claude Akins and Burt Mustin had minor parts at the very end (and IMDB proved me correct!). I didn't think much of the score...but the plot held my interest throughout...although didn't exactly seem groundbreaking.

This is a good film, but I just love me some Barbara Stanwyck.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Last night, I was watching the NBA draft lottery hoping to see the Knicks get lucky which of course they didn't, but low and behold there was Jami Gertz representing the Atlanta Hawks. Hell, the last time I saw her in a movie was Twister back in 1997.

https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/jami-...tter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&sr_share=twitter

 

[SeanSKA]

Last night, I was watching the NBA draft lottery hoping to see the Knicks get lucky which of course they didn't, but low and behold there was Jami Gertz representing the Atlanta Hawks. Hell, the last time I saw her in a movie was Twister back in 1997.

https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/jami-...tter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&sr_share=twitter

One of my main crushes of the 1980s, from "Square Pegs" onward ...

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Last night, I was watching the NBA draft lottery hoping to see the Knicks get lucky which of course they didn't, but low and behold there was Jami Gertz representing the Atlanta Hawks. Hell, the last time I saw her in a movie was Twister back in 1997.

https://nypost.com/2018/05/16/jami-...tter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&sr_share=twitter

She was also in a Seinfeld episode -- she didn't have a square to spare.

 

[Robert Crawford]

She looks the same, just older. She was always an attractive woman with some acting skills, but, she's been busy raising her kids. Her husband is the main owner of the Atlanta Hawks and has been married to him for about 30 years so evidently it's been a very successful marriage. Kudos to her as that's not usually the case for Hollywood actresses.

 

[Mick R]

I agree about the comments on both actresses. Thought he gave great insight to the film and his previous opinion of Dick Powell. I liked Cry Danger wish it was available some format but looks like the Olive Blu-ray and DVD are out of print. Noir Alley is what I'm tuning in on Sunday morning for now on. I want to see more Film Noir that isn't mainstream and Eddie Muller does a great job at providing insight to the movies that are being shown.

Thanks all for the heads-up that this is hard to find. I just got it last week from Olive's website store, $24.65 shipped:
https://olivefilms.com/product/cry-danger/

 

[Robert Crawford]

Kino's BD Release of "A Lady Takes a Chance" is a huge improvement over the 2003 Artisan DVD. I can finally delete that disappointing disc from my collection. Though, this title is strictly a secondary title of the Duke's filmography, I always kind of liked it as it was one of those films in which he wasn't quite a star yet, but he was on his way to becoming a movie icon. Also, Jean Arthur is another favorite of mine and she was 42 years old making this film and was about seven years older than Wayne. The following is review from one of my favorite reviewers Mike Clark formerly of USA Today.

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/a-lady-takes-a-chance-review/

 

[Robert Crawford]

Last night, I had time to watch the 82 minutes long "Ruby Gentry" on Blu-ray. Not a great film by any means, but entertaining enough with Jennifer Jones playing the lead character with Charlton Heston and Karl Malden in supporting male roles. I loved the ending of this melodrama in the swamps. This film fully displays that old saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". James Anderson, who plays Ruby's creepy brother has a good turn in this film and that we will see again in "To Kill a Mockingbird" as that film's villain. This Blu-ray is a nice video presentation improvement over the 2004 MGM DVD. Looking at a young Charlton Heston reminds me to keep hoping for somebody to release "Lucy Gallant" on disc even if it's only on DVD.

Another fine review by Mike Clark.

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/ruby-gentry-review/

 

[Robert Crawford]

A reminder that Noir Alley will be shown this Memorial Day weekend. I've never seen "The Clay Pigeon" so I'm looking forward to my first viewing of it as I never got around to buying the WA DVD that came out a few years ago. A movie with only about 63 minutes run time, but with Eddie Muller's before and after commentary I would set my recording for a good 90 minutes just in case. As some of you know, Bill Williams and Barbara Hale were married in real life. Their son is actor William Katt, The Greatest American Hero, Carrie and Butch and Sundance: The Early Days.

 

[Matt Hough]

A reminder that Noir Alley will be shown this Memorial Day weekend. I've never seen "The Clay Pigeon" so I'm looking forward to my first viewing of it as I never got around to buying the WA DVD that came out a few years ago. A movie with only about 63 minutes run time, but with Eddie Muller's before and after commentary I would set my recording for a good 90 minutes just in case. As some of you know, Bill Williams and Barbara Hale were married in real life. Their son is actor William Katt, The Greatest American Hero, Carrie and Butch and Sundance: The Early Days.

Yep, looking forward to it. I've never seen it either. I'll check back in here on Sunday to offer my thoughts and compare them to yours.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A reminder that Noir Alley will be shown this Memorial Day weekend. I've never seen "The Clay Pigeon" so I'm looking forward to my first viewing of it as I never got around to buying the WA DVD that came out a few years ago. A movie with only about 63 minutes run time, but with Eddie Muller's before and after commentary I would set my recording for a good 90 minutes just in case. As some of you know, Bill Williams and Barbara Hale were married in real life. Their son is actor William Katt, The Greatest American Hero, Carrie and Butch and Sundance: The Early Days.

After viewing my recording Noir Alley with The Clay Pigeon as the feature title I thought the film was just okay. It took a leap of faith as Eddie would say to really enjoy this film. The villain was easy to spot. I liked the reference to the 442nd Infantry Regiment and was relatively entertained by the film. A nice cameo for a young Martha Hyer caught my eye with her different hair color. I won't buy this DVD release because I doubt I'll ever watch this film again, but the on location filming was interesting with their limited film budget.

 

[Matt Hough]

Boy, howdy, you're right about the villain being easy to pick out. Sometimes I get very impatient with leading characters who continually get fooled when it's SO clear who's ratting them out. Who else could possibly be feeding insider information to the bad guys but that ONE guy? Geesh!

As always, loved all of Eddie's background information on the film. Funny, too, that in the opening scene with Bill Williams in the hospital bed, one could clearly see the resemblance between father Bill and son William Katt.

 

[Dave B Ferris]

After viewing my recording Noir Alley with The Clay Pigeon as the feature title I thought the film was just okay. It took a leap of faith as Eddie would say to really enjoy this film. The villain was easy to spot. I liked the reference to the 442nd Infantry Regiment and was relatively entertained by the film. A nice cameo for a young Martha Hyer caught my eye with her different hair color. I won't buy this DVD release because I doubt I'll ever watch this film again, but the on location filming was interesting with their limited film budget.

Boy, howdy, you're right about the villain being easy to pick out. Sometimes I get very impatient with leading characters who continually get fooled when it's SO clear who's ratting them out. Who else could possibly be feeding insider information to the bad guys but that ONE guy? Geesh!

As always, loved all of Eddie's background information on the film. Funny, too, that in the opening scene with Bill Williams in the hospital bed, one could clearly see the resemblance between father Bill and son William Katt.

I watched (and enjoyed) The Clay Pigeon, too. I also caught-up with a recording from a few weeks ago, "Hollywood - My Hometown" by Ken Murray. Murray began toting around a video-camera (or at least a forerunner of a video camera) in 1927, and as somebody who was in the business himself (mostly theater, as I gathered) he had access to the stars either backstage or at various events (such as a charity baseball game, depicted in the film). He kept insisting nothing was rehearsed - and it may not have been, although it seemed like the stars must have known they were being filmed. It's the youngest I've ever seen Clark Gable (pre-mustache, natch) and I'm going have to try to figure out why Sally Blaine (identified as Loretta Young's sister) never became a big star. Apart from the footage of the stars, I was also intrigued by the footage of a plane trip that Murray shot when we he was returning to Hollywood (in 1929, I think).

 

[Robert Crawford]

Tonight's viewing was Conflict (1945) on Noir Alley. Eddie Muller's comments were educational to me as I didn't realize a few things about this film. I've seen this film a number of times over the years. It's not one of Bogart's best films, but it's entertaining.

 

[Matt Hough]

Tonight's viewing was Conflict (1945) on Noir Alley. Eddie Muller's comments were educational to me as I didn't realize a few things about this film. I've seen this film a number of times over the years. It's not one of Bogart's best films, but it's entertaining.

I don't think I've ever seen it, but that will change around lunchtime. I'll come back and share thoughts later today.

 

[Matt Hough]

I watched Conflict today. Good performances, but I wasn't fooled by the con at all, and the "rose business" was easily caught as soon as he said it and thus the remainder of the set-up easy to guess. Always great to see a Bogart starring film you've never seen before. There are probably one or two others out there somewhere. Eddie comments were very illuminating. I had no idea the film had been on the shelf for two years.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I spent a lovely evening watching the new BD of "The Big Country". In one word, "WOW". Just a beautiful transfer of this great film. I didn't have time to explore any of the bonus material due to the length of the film, but I plan to do so in the near future.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I watched Conflict today. Good performances, but I wasn't fooled by the con at all, and the "rose business" was easily caught as soon as he said it and thus the remainder of the set-up easy to guess. Always great to see a Bogart starring film you've never seen before. There are probably one or two others out there somewhere. Eddie comments were very illuminating. I had no idea the film had been on the shelf for two years.

Matt,

Have you ever watch "The Two Mrs. Carrolls"?

 

[Matt Hough]

I have seen it, but not in a long time. I'd love to watch it again to do a comparison.

 

[Robert Crawford]

New TV show I'm watching as I love UK programs such as this one and Luther.

Based on the bestselling novels written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, miniseries C.B.Strike follows a war veteran turned private detective, who operates out of a tiny office in London’s Denmark Street. Although wounded both physically and psychologically, his unique insight and background as a military police investigator prove crucial in solving complex crimes that have baffled the police.

https://www.cinemax.com/cb-strike