What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[Doctor Strange]

Yes, it's a big, showboating performance from a brilliant actor who generally goes for greater subtlety. But there's really nothing subtle about the film, and his bravura performance anchors it. I mean, he's supposed to make a bigger impression than scene-stealing character actors like Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson, and John C. Reilly. Some of the film's supporting players, like Cameron Diaz and Henry Thomas, really aren't up to the challenge.

And honestly, I think by now the film has attained modern classic status. Hey, it sits alongside The Godfather films on the crime section of my DVD racks! (Beside Goodfellas, The Road to Perdition, Miller's Crossing, Bonnie & Clyde, 25th Hour, LA Confidential, etc.)

 

[Edward]

I remembered enjoying it well enough, but I appreciated it a lot more now. Cameron Diaz was much better than I remembered, actually. Brendan Gleeson is always great - I'd watch him in anything.

 

[AmateisGal]

Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) with Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo. Such a great movie.

Anyone watch the ITV series, Hornblower, back in the late 90s and early 2000s with Ioan Gruffuld? Fantastic series.

 

[Fading Fast]

Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) with Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo. Such a great movie.

Anyone watch the ITV series, Hornblower, back in the late 90s and early 2000s with Ioan Gruffuld? Fantastic series.

Have not seen the ITV series, but very much enjoy the Peck movie.

 

[Fading Fast]

"The Girl from Jones Beach" from 1949 starring Ronald Reagan and Virginia Mayo

Reagan was a solid tier-two actor, IMO, not the terrible one his political enemies tried to say he was (leveraging "Bedtime for Bonzo" as ersatz proof positive), but not in the Tracy-Stewart-Grant league (not even close). He also didn't have a character-actor persona - his looks said "almost leading man" not "funny side kick" so he couldn't fit into that slot. That left him a bit adrift as the not-quite-right supporting actor or staring in not-great movies like this one. And that's how a career dies.

As to the movie, if Hallmark TV had been around back then, "The Girl from Jones Beach" could have fit right in to its uber-fluff style where no conflict is really a problem, no one really has a bad intention (except for cardboard villains) and the plot, or what passes for a plot, can be figured out in ten or so minutes. But it does have two pluses: a fun look at the early post-war style of cars, clothes and architecture (with some cool shots of Jones Beach) and a fun look at Virginia Mayo as the movie's entire plot pivots around how good she looks in a bathing suit. That, plus a small role by the always enjoy Henry Travers (now, he's a character actor), and that's all the movie has to offer.

 

[LizzieMaine]

That's a pretty good summation of Reagan's acting style. I was aware of him as an actor before I had any real awareness of him as a politician, and I always thought of him as being a Jack Carson type -- good looking in a bland, blurry sort of way, and fine in roles that called for the kind of character who was probably the BMOC in a small-town high school when he was younger, but, shall we say, lacked cultural sophistication. I've never actually disliked him in a movie -- he rarely stands out, but he's not as bad as he's often made out to be either. I think he comes across even better on radio, where he was also a frequent presence thru the 1940s.

A fun novel revolving around early Reagan is "Time On My Hands" by Peter Delacorte, published in the late 90s. The premise is that a lefty-leaning mad scientist type recruits a blase travel writer to go back to 1938 in his time machine and alter the course of Reagan's life so that he never becomes president. The writer accepts the job, makes the trip, and ends up befriending young "Dutch Ree-gan" in spite of himself. Despite the premise, it's not a political story as much as it is a rather engaging portrait of an aw-shucks young actor from the midwest trying to find his place in Hollywood, and there's a real sense of the atmosphere of the Warner lot at the time, with several real-life personalities besides Reagan making key appearances in the story. Delacorte did his homework and puts together a pretty convincing slice of Hollywood life.

 

[Fading Fast]

That's a pretty good summation of Reagan's acting style. I was aware of him as an actor before I had any real awareness of him as a politician, and I always thought of him as being a Jack Carson type -- good looking in a bland, blurry sort of way, and fine in roles that called for the kind of character who was probably the BMOC in a small-town high school when he was younger, but, shall we say, lacked cultural sophistication. I've never actually disliked him in a movie -- he rarely stands out, but he's not as bad as he's often made out to be either. I think he comes across even better on radio, where he was also a frequent presence thru the 1940s.

A fun novel revolving around early Reagan is "Time On My Hands" by Peter Delacorte, published in the late 90s. The premise is that a lefty-leaning mad scientist type recruits a blase travel writer to go back to 1938 in his time machine and alter the course of Reagan's life so that he never becomes president. The writer accepts the job, makes the trip, and ends up befriending young "Dutch Ree-gan" in spite of himself. Despite the premise, it's not a political story as much as it is a rather engaging portrait of an aw-shucks young actor from the midwest trying to find his place in Hollywood, and there's a real sense of the atmosphere of the Warner lot at the time, with several real-life personalities besides Reagan making key appearances in the story. Delacorte did his homework and puts together a pretty convincing slice of Hollywood life.

I'm off to find a cheap copy on-line to buy.

Edit add: Done - $4.22 new hardcover, shipping included

 

[LizzieMaine]

I think you'll get a real kick out of it. I've been rereading it this week, and there are moments that are laugh-out-loud funny amdist all the time-travel chicanery.

 

[Fading Fast]

That's a pretty good summation of Reagan's acting style. I was aware of him as an actor before I had any real awareness of him as a politician, and I always thought of him as being a Jack Carson type -- good looking in a bland, blurry sort of way, and fine in roles that called for the kind of character who was probably the BMOC in a small-town high school when he was younger, but, shall we say, lacked cultural sophistication. I've never actually disliked him in a movie -- he rarely stands out, but he's not as bad as he's often made out to be either. I think he comes across even better on radio, where he was also a frequent presence thru the 1940s.

A fun novel revolving around early Reagan is "Time On My Hands" by Peter Delacorte, published in the late 90s. The premise is that a lefty-leaning mad scientist type recruits a blase travel writer to go back to 1938 in his time machine and alter the course of Reagan's life so that he never becomes president. The writer accepts the job, makes the trip, and ends up befriending young "Dutch Ree-gan" in spite of himself. Despite the premise, it's not a political story as much as it is a rather engaging portrait of an aw-shucks young actor from the midwest trying to find his place in Hollywood, and there's a real sense of the atmosphere of the Warner lot at the time, with several real-life personalities besides Reagan making key appearances in the story. Delacorte did his homework and puts together a pretty convincing slice of Hollywood life.

Carson seemed to find a better niche for himself as the big, bumbling, ex-jock, loyal-but-not-quite-smart-enough guy. Reagan never found a niche like that.

 

[MisterCairo]

Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951) with Gregory Peck and Virginia Mayo. Such a great movie.

Anyone watch the ITV series, Hornblower, back in the late 90s and early 2000s with Ioan Gruffuld? Fantastic series.

Own the series, have never seen the 1951 film.

"We are BECALMED"!

 

[MisterCairo]

Re-watched Skyfall on my laptop the other night. Always a great ride...

 

[Fading Fast]

"Live, Love and Learn" 1937 with Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell and Robert Benchley

One story Hollywood loves to promote is that the poor, the downtrodden, the struggling have more honesty, integrity and true fun in their lives than the venal, stupid, mean and locked-into-not-fun-social-norms rich. For some reason, James Cameron chose to tell this hackneyed parable in his version of "Titanic" instead of the much-more-interesting story of a famous ship at the apex its period's technology sinking on its Maiden voyage.

While the parable goes back even farther, "Live, Love and Learn" is an early Hollywood version of this story tick in which society woman Russell marries starving artist Montgomery and lives in his tenement-like studio with his fun-loving, ne'er-do-well friend Benchley. Despite coming from the champagne class, Russell adjust remarkably well to a one-burner-kitchen lifestyle sans servants because the honest gumption and kindness of their friends and neighbors is what she felt was missing from her former cosseted life. Uh-huh.

All is going well - even if food is scarce (but not really - the parable goes down smoother if the suffering is temperate) - until husband Montgomery's career takes off and he - horrors of horrors - not only enjoys making money and living more comfortably, but is willing to produce paintings his clients want which sacrifices the "integrity of his art." After that, the trope plays out as it almost always does: Montgomery becomes obsessed with success; he is rude to his wife and former friends who desperately try to get him to see the errors of his new ways; his old friends and wife give up (after some particular boorish behavior on Montgomery's part) and, sans his old friends, he finally sees the shallowness of his new life which leads to the inevitable epiphany moment and humble return to his former poor, but honest, life (wife and friends). Again, uh-huh.

Hey, it's a story and maybe one Depression-Era America wanted to see (and one, as noted, still told quite often today). Some day someone will explain why it is fine to strive for success, to work hard to get yourself out of poverty - why that is noble and good - but the product of that effort, a wealthier more-secure life isn't and, also, why no one can stay the same nice, decent person they were before making money. Joseph Heller himself couldn't have written a more morally immuring catch-22.

That said and despite its contrivance and, IMO, condescension, it does work as a movie because Russell kicks butt throughout bringing her usual blend of energy and smarts (with her sarcasm meter turned down but not off) while Benchley is, as ever, Benchley but (thankfully) toned down and, finally, Montgomery hands in his usual good but narrow-in-range performance. Throw in a fun supporting role for the always enjoyable Monty Woolley and the movie - assuming you can let the preaching and trite story slide by - works pretty well as entertainment.

 

[AmateisGal]

Have not seen the ITV series, but very much enjoy the Peck movie.

You should check out the ITV series if you get a chance. It's very well done (as most British costume dramas are!).

 

[AmateisGal]

Own the series, have never seen the 1951 film.

"We are BECALMED"!

I'd never really watched the 1951 version until the other day. I'd watched bits and pieces, but that's about it. I think Peck's performance in it is fantastic.

 

[Zombie_61]

..."A Dog's Purpose" 2017

A slightly dressed up Hallmark story narrated by a dog that is reincarnated several times. It's from his perspective and hits some funny notes about how dogs "see" humans - similar to what the TV show "Downward Dog" is doing. It's weakest in its overall story which shows a progression of families from the '50s until today as the dog keeps coming back to life as another dog but with his prior-life memory intact. If you love dogs, like seeing the world from our perspective of their perspective and don't mind two-dimensional, "you know where this is going" stories, it works well enough and, heck, the dogs are really cute.

My wife and I watched A Dog's Purpose last night, and I have to agree with everything you've written here. It's not a terrible movie, but at times it tends to be too "cute" for it's own good; an interesting concept that was weakly executed. I won't even go into the ways they got reincarnation wrong. On the other hand, being animal lovers my wife and I did tear up once or twice; we must be getting old.

 

[campbell166]

Bodyguard on BBC television here in the U.K.
very exciting....

 

[Worf]

"Maisie Was a Lady" - This "B" movie series starring Ann Southern escaped me all my life until I caught this one on TCM and recorded it. Maisie is a fast talkin', no nonsense showgirl from Brooklyn who always finds herself down on her luck and caught in dire straights. In this one she finds herself working as a maid and trying to bring life, love and sense to a family with plenty of money but none of the other three. I found it entertaining with some corkers thrown in.

"Young lady I've been in the employ of this family for over 30 years!"

"30 years!!! Well I gotta tell ya Walpole you've sure took your beatin' like a man!"

Worf

 

[LizzieMaine]

Those "Maisie" pictures are a lot of fun, probably the snappiest B-pictures MGM ever did. Ann Sothern also played that character on a radio show in the early 1950s to similar success.

 

[Touchofevil]

The Big Sleep on TCM with a cup of coffee this morning. Despite having viewed it many times and its flaws, it is always worth watching.

 

[Fading Fast]

The Big Sleep on TCM with a cup of coffee this morning. Despite having viewed it many times and its flaws, it is always worth watching.

We caught about half of it, but since it included the bookshop scene it was the best half (tautologically, any half that includes that scene is the best half). And since I'm never really sure what's going on in this movie anyway (which is not totally true anymore as I now know the story since I read the book; before that, I was always lost in the movie), whether I watch all or part doesn't really matter as I'm watching it for the style and vibe not the enigma-wrapped-inside-a-riddle-wrapped-inside-a-mystery plot.