An action film for people who don’t like action films, directed in overstated CinemaScope by John Sturges in 1955. Spencer Tracy is a mysterious one-armed man in black who faces down the residents of a small isolated town, whom he suspects of having killed the father of his Japanese war buddy. Spence knows karate, Robert Ryan and the rest of the rednecks don’t; but everybody can moralize like hell.

Welcome to the world of Raoul Walsh’s Pursued. It’s an oneiric film about a man who is haunted by the past. Mitchum narrates the film, sounding like someone who knows he is doomed. (“I always have a feeling something’s after me,” he says.)

Pursued is a western, not a film noir, but it has all the hallmarks of noir, including stunning black and white cinematography by the great James Wong Howe, Freudian relationships up the wazoo, the sins of the past coming back to haunt the present, a man on the run, plenty of sinister characters packing heat, and a story mostly told in flashback.

Young Jeb Rand (played by Ernest Severn) survived the massacre that killed his family and was taken in by Mrs. Callum (Judith Anderson), who has two children about Jeb’s age — Thor (short for “Thorley”) and Adam. They’re played by Peggy Miller and Charles Bates as kids, and by Teresa Wright and John Rodney as adults.

Jeb often complains that his head hurts. Nothing about his past makes sense, and his present is equally confusing. Thor and Adam don’t treat him as a brother. (His separation from them is represented visually as well as thematically. In one scene in which the family gathers, Mrs. Callum stands in the center, with Thor and Adam on one side of her and Jeb on the other.) Adam hates his adopted brother Jeb. Thor loves Jeb, but her love seems more romantic than sisterly.

One day, someone shoots young Jeb’s horse out from under him. Mrs. Callum tells him it was probably just careless deer hunters, but Jeb is convinced that it was Adam.

We eventually learn that Mrs. Callum’s brother-in-law, Grant Callum (Dean Jagger), led the attack on Jeb’s family. Grant’s brother (Mrs. Callum’s husband) was killed in the attack, and Grant was wounded and had to have his arm amputated. Grant vowed not to rest until every last Rand on earth was dead. Mrs. Callum, on the other hand, considers the events of that night Providence — the Lord may have taken her husband, but He delivered unto her a second son.

Jeb, Thor, and Adam grow to adulthood. When the draft board demands that at least one young man from every family in the territory enlist to fight in the Spanish-American War, Jeb and Adam flip a coin. Jeb loses.

He returns home from the war to find that little has changed. Adam still hates him, and Thor still has romantic feelings for him. “I want you to come courtin’ me,” she says. “I know that seems silly when we grew up together, but I want to pretend we didn’t.”

Mrs. Callum doesn’t have a problem with Jeb and Thor marrying, but she refuses to ever talk with Jeb about the night his family was killed, no matter how much he pushes her. “I’m giving you my daughter for your wife,” she says. “Isn’t that enough for you? Doesn’t that show you that you’re loved?”

Grant Callum dogs Jeb’s every move, sending shooters after him even though he clearly just wants to be left alone. After he’s forced to kill two men in self-defense, Mrs. Callum and Thor shun Jeb, and tell him that he’s dead to them.

“Right then I knew I had to have you,” Jeb says in voiceover as he watches Thor at a funeral. “I’d have to climb across two graves to get to you, but nothing in the world would hold me back.”

Pursued has a happy ending, but that doesn’t stop Jeb and Thor’s semi-incestuous love from having a doomed quality. “There was a black dog riding my back and yours,” Jeb tells Thor as they reminisce about their past while waiting in the burned-out cabin together for Grant Callum and his gunmen to arrive.

This noirish sense of doom pervades the film. So many scenes take place at night or indoors — in smoky saloons and casinos — that the film has a powerful sense of claustrophobia. And the fact that Jeb is a returning combat veteran plagued by nightmares gives him more in common with many of the protagonists of post-war film noirs than it does with the cowboy heroes of most post-war oaters.

287. Bad Day at Black Rock

Reviewed by Ally
First viewing

Synopsis:

John J. Macreedy (Spencer Tracy), a war veteran who lost his left hand in combat, arrives in the isolated desert town of Black Rock. The train hasn’t stopped there for four years, and the locals are immediately suspicious of him. Macreedy is looking for a man named Komoko, about whom the locals are particularly tight-lipped, especially the town’s self-appointed leader Reno Smith (Robert Ryan). Despite intimidation and eventual violence from the residents of Black Rock, Macreedy gradually uncovers the sinister truth about Komoko’s disappearance.

Essential Scene:

Macreedy sits at the counter of the local diner, about to eat his lunch. Coley Trimble (Ernest Borgnine), one of the local heels, stands in the doorway and challenges him. Meanwhile, Reno Smith plays pinball in the corner, quietly observing.

Trimble: Well, you still around? I thought you didn’t like this place.

Macreedy: You mean going to or coming from?

Trimble: Staying put.

Macreedy: No comment.

Trimble: No comment, he says. No comment and all the time he’s got my stool.

Macreedy pauses, then moves to another stool, allowing Trimble to sit down. Soon, Trimble decides the stool isn’t comfortable and suggests Macreedy to give up another for him. Macreedy responds, “Suppose you tell me where to sit,” putting paid to Trimble’s little game. After a pregnant pause, Trimble leans in and pours half a bottle of ketchup into Macreedy’s lunch.

Trimble: I hope that ain’t too much.

Macreedy: [to Smith] Your friend’s a very argumentative fellow.

Smith: Sort of unpredictable too. Got a temper like a rattlesnake.

Trimble: That’s me all over. I’m half horse, half alligator. You mess with me and I’ll kick a lung outta you. Whaddya think of that?

Macreedy: [poking at his lunch with a spoon] No comment.

Trimble: Talking to you is like pulling teeth. You wear me out. [shouting] You’re a yellow-bellied Jap lover, am I right or wrong?!

Macreedy: You’re not only wrong, you’re wrong at the top of your voice.

Macreedy calmly accuses Trimble of trying to start trouble, of trying to provoke him into violence so the gang could kill him and plead self-defence. Trimble offers to fight Macreedy with one hand tied behind his back. Macreedy stands up and starts to leave, but Trimble grabs him by his bad arm and spins him round to face him. “If I tied both hands?”

Macreedy swiftly gives Trimble a judo chop to the shoulder. Trimble staggers around the diner, collapsing against the wall in agony. He gasps for air. The other locals look on, mouths agape. Trimble lunges for Macreedy, but gets several more chops and a knee to the face for his troubles. He doesn’t admit defeat until he’s crashed through a screen door and finally been thrown to the floor. He’s no match for a one-armed man. Oh hell yeah!

Thoughts:

Bad Day at Black Rock begins as a wonderfully enigmatic thriller. As he steps off the train, all we know about John J. Macreedy is what we can see; that he has one arm constantly tucked in his pocket, presumably because of a wounded or missing hand. We don’t know why he came to Black Rock, nor why the locals treat him with such suspicion and hostility. Gradually we’re offered more pieces of the puzzle, until we can see enough to guess the rest of the chilling picture. Whilst maintaining the thrilling tension (it’s a relatively short film, just 81 minutes), it becomes a picture of post-war malaise, and the way in which some people use war as validation for their own prejudices.

The cast is impressive. Robert Ryan, who came to prominence in the similarly-themed Crossfire, once again proves his ability to play racist thugs, supported by the equally menacing Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine. But really it’s Spencer Tracy’s film. He’s a unique, magnetic screen presence and, while it’s not my first encounter with him, I look forward to seeing much more of his work.

Being in a wheelchair myself, the way in which disablity is portrayed in film is obviously of interest to me. Too often, disabled characters are either figures of pity or patronizing inspiration. Not so with Bad Day at Black Rock. Macreedy’s war wound, while being a defining feature of the character, is not milked for sympathy. And his “triumph against adversity” is, while genuinely triumphant, more logical than inspirational. He’s a war vet; of course he can kick your ass, one-handed or not!

287. Bad Day at Black Rock

Reviewed by Ally
First viewing

Synopsis:

John J. Macreedy (Spencer Tracy), a war veteran who lost his left hand in combat, arrives in the isolated desert town of Black Rock. The train hasn’t stopped there for four years, and the locals are immediately suspicious of him. Macreedy is looking for a man named Komoko, about whom the locals are particularly tight-lipped, especially the town’s self-appointed leader Reno Smith (Robert Ryan). Despite intimidation and eventual violence from the residents of Black Rock, Macreedy gradually uncovers the sinister truth about Komoko’s disappearance.

Essential Scene:

Macreedy sits at the counter of the local diner, about to eat his lunch. Coley Trimble (Ernest Borgnine), one of the local heels, stands in the doorway and challenges him. Meanwhile, Reno Smith plays pinball in the corner, quietly observing.

Trimble: Well, you still around? I thought you didn’t like this place.

Macreedy: You mean going to or coming from?

Trimble: Staying put.

Macreedy: No comment.

Trimble: No comment, he says. No comment and all the time he’s got my stool.

Macreedy pauses, then moves to another stool, allowing Trimble to sit down. Soon, Trimble decides the stool isn’t comfortable and suggests Macreedy to give up another for him. Macreedy responds, “Suppose you tell me where to sit,” putting paid to Trimble’s little game. After a pregnant pause, Trimble leans in and pours half a bottle of ketchup into Macreedy’s lunch.

Trimble: I hope that ain’t too much.

Macreedy: [to Smith] Your friend’s a very argumentative fellow.

Smith: Sort of unpredictable too. Got a temper like a rattlesnake.

Trimble: That’s me all over. I’m half horse, half alligator. You mess with me and I’ll kick a lung outta you. Whaddya think of that?

Macreedy: [poking at his lunch with a spoon] No comment.

Trimble: Talking to you is like pulling teeth. You wear me out. [shouting] You’re a yellow-bellied Jap lover, am I right or wrong?!

Macreedy: You’re not only wrong, you’re wrong at the top of your voice.

Macreedy calmly accuses Trimble of trying to start trouble, of trying to provoke him into violence so the gang could kill him and plead self-defence. Trimble offers to fight Macreedy with one hand tied behind his back. Macreedy stands up and starts to leave, but Trimble grabs him by his bad arm and spins him round to face him. “If I tied both hands?”

Macreedy swiftly gives Trimble a judo chop to the shoulder. Trimble staggers around the diner, collapsing against the wall in agony. He gasps for air. The other locals look on, mouths agape. Trimble lunges for Macreedy, but gets several more chops and a knee to the face for his troubles. He doesn’t admit defeat until he’s crashed through a screen door and finally been thrown to the floor. He’s no match for a one-armed man. Oh hell yeah!

Thoughts:

Bad Day at Black Rock begins as a wonderfully enigmatic thriller. As he steps off the train, all we know about John J. Macreedy is what we can see; that he has one arm constantly tucked in his pocket, presumably because of a wounded or missing hand. We don’t know why he came to Black Rock, nor why the locals treat him with such suspicion and hostility. Gradually we’re offered more pieces of the puzzle, until we can see enough to guess the rest of the chilling picture. Whilst maintaining the thrilling tension (it’s a relatively short film, just 81 minutes), it becomes a picture of post-war malaise, and the way in which some people use war as validation for their own prejudices.

The cast is impressive. Robert Ryan, who came to prominence in the similarly-themed Crossfire, once again proves his ability to play racist thugs, supported by the equally menacing Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine. But really it’s Spencer Tracy’s film. He’s a unique, magnetic screen presence and, while it’s not my first encounter with him, I look forward to seeing much more of his work.

Being in a wheelchair myself, the way in which disablity is portrayed in film is obviously of interest to me. Too often, disabled characters are either figures of pity or patronizing inspiration. Not so with Bad Day at Black Rock. Macreedy’s war wound, while being a defining feature of the character, is not milked for sympathy. And his “triumph against adversity” is, while genuinely triumphant, more logical than inspirational. He’s a war vet; of course he can kick your ass, one-handed or not!

Click here to check out preciousness from 1945′s The Bells of St. Mary’s with Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. . . the kids wrote their own Christmas play.  Bobby is killing me.  ”Well, it’s a little bit, not good.  You see, we’re still practishing.”

They’d never do something like this in a movie made today. . . we don’t have the attention span!  Please exercise patience and you’ll be glad you did.

We watched some other holiday movies this year.  Scrooged. . . weird.  I generally like Bill Murray, but this one didn’t work for me.  To my mind, White Christmas remains the unparalleled, reigning, undefeated champion of holiday films!  The bright VistaVision colors (and the white snow); the Hollywood glamor (and wholesomeness). . . the heartache, the love, the charm, the singing (and dancing!), and of course, the General.

You’re unruly!  You’re undisciplined!

And I never saw anything look so wonderful in my whole life.

4.5/5 stars

Director - Henry King

Cast - Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merril, Millard Mitchell, Dean Jagger

———-

I had always thought Twelve O’Clock High was just a TV show. I’d never seen it, but I had always thought of it as Hogan’s Heroes without the punch lines. I was unaware of the movie  until recently, and in one of those weird coincidences I very quickly saw it in one of those discount bins. Discount bin hunting is made for finding movies like this. It is an excellent disc too, cleaned up all nice.

Twelve O’Clock High features Gregory Peck (as General Frank Savage) to great effect as a stoic, by-the-book American Air Force general who feels compelled to take over a bomber unit after he deems its commander, a friend of his, to have become too close to his men. The men in the unit have been treated with kid gloves, and so Savage steps in to whip them into shape.

While Gregory Peck is cast perfectly as Frank Savage,  it is the supporting cast (bringing a strong sense of character to their roles) that really fuse the movie together. Of special note is Dean Jagger as Major Stovall. He has a couple of scenes that bookend the movie wonderfully.

Twelve O’Clock High starts off as a character study, a story about the aviators low spirits, and about how to kick them into shape. It’s the classic underdog story really. A “team” has low morale and skills, and are whipped into shape by a tough “coach”. We enjoy seeing these airmen (who thought they were capable of nothing) triumph over their previous failures.

However, halfway through the movie it switches its focus, and starts examining what Savage’s methodology does to him. His drive, coupled with his single-mindedness, comes near to psychologically destroying him. (While this movie is also described as anti-war, we are shown Savage’s methods doing little harm to his men, so it comes across as a portrayal of what leadership can do a man, rather than combat itself.) The underdog story suddenly becomes about the coach, not the players. This last portion of the movie undermines the whole first part.

Well, not undermines… more like elaborates on. In a  good way. The movie becomes about what war can do to a man, and it is when dwelling on this that the movie earns its stripes. Without such an ending, it would have been just another WWII adventure story. A good one, to be sure, but thankfully Twelve O’Clock High rises above that.

OVERALL

Twelve O’Clock High is a classic war movie, and one looks at the effects war actually has on people, rather than being an adventure story or a traditional biopic. Gregory Peck is at his peak here, and the addition of aerial footage actually shot by RAF and Luftwaffe adds a lot of legitimacy here.

When dealing with old movies we often find many that haven’t “aged well”. This is definitely not one of those. I can confidently recommend this to anyone who likes old movies, or indeed, movies in general.

——————–

TRAILER

“Twelve O’Clock High” on other websites:

IMDB —– Rotten Tomatoes —– Wikipedia

——————–

Starring Christopher Lee, Sue Lyon, Kirk Scott, Dean Jagger, Lew Ayres, Macdonald Carey, Liz Ross

Directed by John Hayes

Expectations: Low, but it has Christopher Lee so that’s something.

Plainly put, End of the World is awful. Just wanted to get that out-of-the-way. It’s awful in one of the worst ways a movie can be awful too. It’s excruciatingly boring. So boring that the entire film is summed up within the Netflix summary paragraph, leaving out only minor occurrences. Next to nothing happens in this one, but surprisingly the movie ends on such a high note that I can’t help but think back fondly on the experience. This is the other 1977 film about first contact with alien lifeforms, and actually was released a few months before the more famous film.

Nun/Alien at the controls

A professor working in a 1970s science lab with flashing lights, whirring noises and spinning tape reels intercepts some transmissions from space. They speak of impending disasters, so the professor looks further into the signals and sees that not only is Earth receiving them, but we are also sending messages back! He hunts down the sources, first to a zoo where a fellow researcher has set up a radio station underground. That’s not the source of the alien short wave though so he continues to the next stop, a convent. They find nothing, but soon realize that the nuns and the priest (Christopher Lee) are alien clones!

The aliens receive a signal that the Earth must be destroyed, so they jump in their time warp ray back to their homeworld. The professor and his wife are left in the basement of the convent, watching the destruction of the Earth via stock footage on multiple television view-screens. This stock footage of floods, explosions and volcanoes erupting is by far the second most enjoyable part of this movie. It is only trumped by the scene directly following, when we are treated to the ultimate money shot; a faraway glance from space at the silent, blue planet of Earth as it explodes into millions of pieces in grand slow-motion fashion. If they got everything else wrong, they at least knew how to end a movie called End of the World. You gotta give them that.

The filmmakers were also wise to not follow this incredible explosion with any bullshit epilogue scene or anything resembling further explanation. The credits slowly crawl after a moment and we’re out. Further illustrating the boring nature of the film, the credits scroll up one at a time for a while, making me wonder if they were under contract to deliver a film so many minutes long and were missing a few. The credits also offer up one last laugh as the cast credit for “Nuns/Aliens” once again reminds me why I enjoy B-Movies so much.

The Time Warp Ray

It’s pointless to even try and discuss the film’s characters because they are truly non-existent. I’m sure they have names but there’s no reason to remember them. The interactions between the characters are flat and completely uninvolving, with lots of screen time devoted to dialogue-free shots of people driving or walking around, set to a slightly funky 70s porno score. I’m convinced that they were in Wong Kar-Wai mode here and were working sans script, as there is not a shred of tension or meaning in any of the scenes leading up to the grand finale.

Make no mistake, End of the World is truly forgettable and isn’t really worth it even for the most hardcore of B-Movie fans. I had hoped for a better introduction into Charles Band’s 1970s output, but this one was sorely lacking. That being said, the final ten minutes or so are pretty enjoyable, so if you must, try to only see that section. Unless you suffer from insomnia, as an alternate title for the film could easily have been End of the Sleepless Nights.

Next Tuesday I look at another 1970s Charles Band production, the more well-known film, Laserblast! I hope it’s better than this was!

It takes a lot for me to open with such a statement–well, maybe not, but certainly for a film I finished watching, even if it only does run sixty-two minutes.

But Revolt of the Zombies might be one of the worst things ever and really shouldn’t be. Okay, worst things ever is an overstatement, but it really should have been better.

It opens as a war film, set during the first World War, with zombies–the brainwashed kind, not the flesh-eating–being used as a weapon. Interesting idea, kind of groundbreaking for 1936. But then the film rushes off to Cambodia, where a bunch of Europeans take time off from the war to try and destroy the secret of zombies, so no other power can use it.

Then the film turns into this turgid soap opera with Dorothy Stone playing a scheming harpy who seduces and gets engaged to Dean Jagger in hopes of getting his best friend, Robert Noland, interested in her.

Once she does, Jagger loses it and starts turning everyone into a zombie in order to win her.

Or some such nonsense. It’s really hurried and almost impossible to follow… with some of the terrible acting–Jagger and Stone are particularly atrocious–to complement the terrible script.

There’s some nice rear screen footage of Angkor, but the film’s dreadfully cheap. There’s zero filmmaking ingenuity here–Halperin’s direction seems almost embarrassed.

It might’ve had a chance if they’d stayed in France.

CREDITS

Directed by Victor Halperin; written by Victor Halperin, Howard Higgin and Rollo Lloyd; director of photography, Jockey Arthur Feindel and Arthur Martinelli; edited by Douglass Biggs; produced by Edward Halperin; produced by Academy Pictures Distributing Corporation.

Starring Dorothy Stone (Claire Duval), Dean Jagger (Armand Louque), Roy D’Arcy (Col. Mazovia), Robert Noland (Clifford Grayson), George Cleveland (Gen. Duval), E. Alyn Warren (Dr. Trevissant), Carl Stockdale (Ignacio MacDonald), William Crowell (Priest Tsiang), Teru Shimada (Buna) and Adolph Milar (Gen. von Schelling).

Related posts:

• White Zombie (1932, Victor Halperin)
• Bad Day at Black Rock (1955, John Sturges)
• They Were Expendable (1945, John Ford)
• Wings in the Dark (1935, James Flood)
• The Runaround (1946, Charles Lamont)

It’s a strange problem; even though the film has a great supporting cast, it doesn’t have any other principles besides Tracy. Characters become more and less important as the running time progresses. For example, Robert Ryan’s got a lot to do for the first twenty minutes or so, but once his character is clearly defined, he fades into the background a little.

Some of that fading might be Sturges’s fault. While his Cinemascope composition is fantastic–he has this one scene with six people standing around talking and it’s just startling, the figures, dressed brightly even, contrasting the blue, cloudy sky–it’s all very wide. There are almost no close-ups in the film or even medium shots. Sturges is using all of that wide frame and people can get lost.

But the script has its own problems. Mainly Tracy’s character–he keeps changing, as the script keeps unveiling backstory revelations–and with a longer running time, it might work. The film really just needs more time, not just for Tracy, but to make the longish parts seem less plodding.

CREDITS

Directed by John Sturges; screenplay by Millard Kaufman, adaptation by Don McGuire, based on a story by Howard Breslin; director of photography, William C. Mellor; edited by Newell P. Kimlin; music by André Previn; produced by Dore Schary; released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Starring Spencer Tracy (John J. Macreedy), Robert Ryan (Reno Smith), Anne Francis (Liz Wirth), Dean Jagger (Tim Horn), Walter Brennan (Doc Velie), John Ericson (Pete Wirth), Ernest Borgnine (Coley Trimble), Lee Marvin (Hector David), Russell Collins (Mr. Hastings) and Walter Sande (Sam).

Related posts:

• Wings in the Dark (1935, James Flood)
• Stanley and Livingstone (1939, Henry King)
• Boys Town (1938, Norman Taurog)
• Westward the Women (1951, William A. Wellman)
• The Woman on Pier 13 (1949, Robert Stevenson)

Director: Leslie Norman

Starring: Dean Jagger, Edward Chapman, Leo McKern

I did promise an almost-but-not-quite-Quatermass and here it is. I shall also doff my cap respectfully in the direction of Conti for reminding me of this one. “People melting indeed!”

Okay, so… Hammer were buzzing after the success of The Quatermass Xperiment and wanted to follow up with another tale of the Professor’s derring-do, this time to be penned by Jimmy Sangster who would go on to write a few of the big Hammer numbers. However, Quatermass writer Nigel Kneale wasn’t so keen on handing over his character. It wasn’t what he had in mind next for Bernard Quatermass, plus he was still a bit miffed about the casting of Brian Donlevy. Consequently, he refused the studio permission to use the character. Not to be deterred, Hammer went ahead without the ‘mass but they got as close as they darn well could…

The army are squelching around a Scottish quarry, training squaddies in the operation of a Geiger counter. Unsurprisingly, the counter starts picking up more Geigers than it has any right to. Cue a short burst of tectonic rumbling and a giant fissure appears in the ground. At a nearby research installation, scientists are working with radioactive materials on something called ‘the cobalt experiment’, among them Doctor Adam Royston. He is called to the scene of the quake when people start falling ill with radiation burns. When his lab is ransacked and a local hospital’s radiotherapy department eaten, Royston realises that something, a “nameless horror” is being drawn to sources of radiation and traces the culprit to the crack in the quarry. The military take action but Royston knows the world’s only hope is an untried pet project he’s got tucked away.

X The Unknown is quite a grim affair, exacerbated by a desolate winter setting. An air of post-war, cold war paranoia pervades the film – as evidenced by the Geiger counter training and Royston’s hopeful theories on neutralising an atom bomb to prevent the explosion. It gives the film an edge, as does the night shooting – no day-for-night cheating in this joint. But there’s a drawback to this atmosphere; the actors seem to feed off it, their characters are all business and not at all personable, you don’t warm to any of them really. That’s probably why they included the comedy soldier double-act, ‘Spider’ Webb (Anthony Newley) and Haggis (Ian McNaughton), in there to present a thimble of warmth to the audience. Leo McKern as Inspector McGill also wrestles with the clinical script and just about comes out on top. Everything’s better when he’s on screen. But maybe some of the actor stiffness is down to the directorial change…

Dean Jagger, as Royston, is pretty good considering he (and Donlevy before him) was written off by critics as past his sell-by date. I like the beanie hat he wears and the thread-worn overcoat, sets him apart from everyone else. There’s a funny moment in his personal work shop when Royston encourages his assistant Peter Elliott (William Lucas) to pick up a container covered with a nasty residue which he then gets on his hands. “There’s a towel over there… you won’t be able to wipe it off…” Why tell him there’s a towel then! I think Jaggs would’ve made a top Quatermass, he takes Donlevy’s drive but adds a degree of humanity, he’s a lot more thoughtful. The story goes: Jagger signed on for X The Unknown to be directed by Joseph Walton. This was actually a pseudonym for none other than Joseph Losey who, having been blacklisted in Hollywood, had gone to work in the UK. When Jagger arrived for filming and saw who ‘Walton’ really was he flat out refused to work for a ‘Commie’ sympathiser. Hammer, keen to hang onto their star, quickly and quietly removed Losey, the official word being for ‘health reasons’ and replaced him with an unknown Brit director, Leslie Norman. Reportedly, Norman could not have cared less about the script or the film. If true, it’s a miracle X The Unknown turned out as good as it did! Apparently, some of Losey’s work is in the final cut.

With so few memorable characters to hang yer coat on it is to be hoped the villain, X, will be a stormer. Well, that depends on how frightening you find mud. Okay, now imagine fast-moving radioactive mud. What, still ‘no’? Ah, come on, believe it or not the mud does have a presence. Like all effective creature features they keep the monster off-screen till late in the movie, it really is quite well animated, pouring over walls and downing electricity pylons… actually no, the pylons look a bit rubbish. And how’s this for an origin; the mud is an energy force brought forth from deep inside the planet’s bowels by the pull of gravity, the sun on the Earth. Pretty cool, huh? It’s just a pity the threat isn’t always used to the fullest extreme, as in the toddler-in-peril scene. The burbling kid is plucked to safety by a priest as the radioactive gloop creeps ever closer. What should be nail-biting is mundanely by-the-numbers, lacking any degree of tension.

At the other end of the scale, another child-in-peril moment occurs earlier in the film to greater effect when little Willie (Michael Harding) goes on a night time dare to the spooky ‘tower on the marshes’ and is chased through the woods by the unseen X. The fear is palpable. Elsewhere, there’s an atmospheric and unsettling shot of the mud moving inexorably through the village of Lochmouth, conveying a distinct sense of alarm in just one brief sequence. Interestingly, X bears a resemblance to another, better known amorphous blob monster but X The Unknown pre-dates the Irvin Yeaworth epic by a couple of years.

Best of all is the eerie scene when Peter Elliott is winched down into the abyss – for reasons known only to scientists. I think they basically hand the poor bugger a torch and say, “Go see what it looks like.” Actually, it tickles me the scene because Royston explains that “somebody” will have to go down there – then both he and McGill look at Elliott! Did he bollocks “volunteer”. Here, you do finally worry for a principal character as Pete first survives a free-fall when the winch slips, then encounters the remains of previous victims and finally the glowing, crackling mud itself. His panic is infectious as the soldiers top-side begin to winch him back, not quite as fast as he would prefer – “Get me out of here! Faster! Faster!” The army then do their thing; “How do you kill mud?” Good question. The military answer is to flame thrower it, set off a load of explosives and – just to be sure – fill the crack with concrete. Yeh, that’ll work.

This sets up a fine finale as the royally pissed off mud (you’d be too if you’d just been flamed, exploded & concreted) breaks out, melts a few folk and makes a beeline for the radioactive ‘cobalt experiment’. Elliott once again puts his neck on the line, jumping in a jeep and driving up to the crevice, the plan being to lure X out to be zapped by a mud-busting gizmo. What seems like a million times Royston says, “don’t go any closer than 15 feet, 15 feet, no closer, 15 feet, did I mention not to go any closer than 15 feet…?” Just so you know, it’s the minimum safe distance, see. You don’t need me to tell you but I’m going to anyway; Elliott goes closer than 15 feet. Then his ruddy jeep gets stuck. Top stuff.

Quatermass composer James Bernard hits all the right notes once again, utilising those familiar shrill string cues here, backing up the action expertly. At the beginning there’s a musical masterclass as he allows a rising crescendo to be choked off abruptly, replaced with the natural sounds of rural wildlife. It sets up the atmosphere of dread perfectly. Unfortunately, the DVD release has been re-edited not to include this superb moment (I watched an old telly version taped onto VHS). Can’t understand the reason for re-jiggering that – poor show. Special mention should also go to Phil Leakey for some excellently gruesome make-up effects.

The eagle-eyed will spot a couple of Quatermass regulars. Sergeant Harry Grimsdyke is played by Michael Ripper who went on to play Ernie in Quatermass 2. Plus, the squaddie who cops minor burns during the earthquake rescuing Pvt. Lansing (Kenneth Cope) is Edwin Richfield – Peterson in Quatermass 2 and the unnamed politician in Quatermass And The Pit. In fact he’s unnamed here as well. And following on from Jane Asher in The Quatermass Xperiment, 80’s soap stalwart (& Doctor Who) Frazer Hines pops up as a youngster.

All in all, good stuff. But a year later it got trounced by the real deal – Quatermass 2.

See the trailer here: http://tinyurl.com/34l4ja4

Full movie here: http://tinyurl.com/32hketc

Or find it on YouTube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLlkNMhnx3o

Cheers, folk.

ThereWolf, September 2010.

Here are some examples of our work:

GCMP.tv Webcasting, Streaming Media, Encoding Solutions, Video Production and Post Production Services

Classic Cars
Lia Schorr
Canon
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We are expert in tagging and daily blogging strategies (important for search results), as well as can offer mobile media (text 2 solutions – we have our own short code 59559), and syndicate to 150 plus social media and viral video sites.

Please call Brian at (561) 374-4704 or Megan at (917) 455-5250.

Do you want an impact video to work for you on the web or even a short form advertisement for broadcast?

We produce inexpensive to lavish branding videos that will work for you across the broadcast, internet and mobile mediums.

Currently in Beta, GCMP.tv syndicates to 150 Viral Video and Social Media Sites as well as mobile content to 70 countries. A little about myself, I head the digital media and emerging technologies division of GCMP.tv. In addition to being a leading New York media strategist, Brian specializes in social commerce, webcasting, building your own network (BYON), ghostwriting and blogging. iProgram specializes in Live To Phone Technologies, mobile video and marketing strategies from its base in New York City. I am also an expert on webcasting and am frequently called upon to execute webcasts from in studio and remote locations. I am a leading New York Based Streaming Media Encoding Technician.

Yes, Yes I know….. How could I. Well, to be fair I just went back to try Sprint after swearing on a stack of bibles that I would NEVER be their customer again (search previous posts).

But yeah, got stuck with a cube, you all know how I feel about my iPhone, but now – here I am getting a MacBook. A 13 inch, light sweet notebook, that will have Final Cut Express on it, Adobe Flash Live Media Encoder (ironic – search Apple / Adobe previous posts re iPad), Skype, Sprint Media Manager and that’s about it.

The idea is that Brian McLane is the best remote streaming media encoding technician in New York City (except one other who shall remain nameless – oh heck it’s my ex-wife Nico).

Now the MacBook and the other software are just the basic building blocks one needs in order to get started. It’s taken me 8 plus years of sometimes 18 hour days to understand proper streaming, multiple formats (quicktime, real, windows, flash, mobile, etc.), compression, ports, wireless, codecs, I could go on and on.

Webcast Encoding Technician Brian McLane Uses MacBook Pro for Hi-Profile Event in New York City

BUT – I am willing to take a stab at this. There is a 14 day return policy. I will let you all know how a certain event (on Thursday) works out.

; )

Hint…

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Currently in Beta, GCMP.tv syndicates to 150 Viral Video and Social Media Sites as well as mobile content to 70 countries. A little about myself, I head the digital media and emerging technologies division of GCMP.tv. In addition to being a leading New York media strategist, Brian specializes in social commerce, webcasting, building your own network (BYON), ghostwriting and blogging. iProgram specializes in Live To Phone Technologies, mobile video and marketing strategies from its base in New York City. I am also an expert on webcasting and am frequently called upon to execute webcasts from in studio and remote locations. I am a leading New York Based Streaming Media Encoding Technician.

BANDWIDTH SMACKDOWN

There’s a Triple Main Event Tonight and one Battle Royal Cage Match

No Not the above image which appeared in SPTIMES.com (22 man event in an Over The Top Battle Royale from the Florida State Fair).

We’re talking about a much different kind of grudge match – and we’ve talked about them before.

In the first Main Event, In the Blue Corner Netflix versus in the Red Corner… The Cable Companies,
In the Second Co-Main Event, The Telephone companies in a 2 on 1 Match versus Skype

And in the blood strap match that everyone wants to see….. A Battle Royale Cage Match featuring Google, Ad Brite, Tremor, Double Click and a host of other villains.

Don’t think it could happen. Well guess what it is.

And as soon as the Data Offload mess is sorted out, and the path to content paved, LOOK OUT.

Want to know more?

The Fact is now everyone wants social media, they’re starting Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and blogs (which only in my opinion works if you make Blogging a religion). I was spending so much time educating potential clients who weren’t sold on the need for social media marketing. They were curious, but they always seem to come back. It’s called the “pump and dump” and after a while you realize that all you’re doing is spending explaining and introducing social media rather than on creative ways to leverage it.

Now however, I no longer have to do as many introductions, because for the most part people understand what Facebook and Twitter are even if all they do is tell an intern to run it. But ahhhh… the Bandwidth conundrum.

Now companies are hiring what are called “Community Managers.” Look let’s get something straight. There is pretty much nothing more boring than a corporate facebook page. Oh yeah, I’m going to facebook.com/clorox…. uh huh.

Bottom line is they managed the online conversation and follow trends as they develop.

Back in 2000 I attended a conference at Verizon about the future of IPTV. There were executives from Microsoft, Fox Sports, Verizon, World Gate (don’t even know if they’re around any more), Global Crossings and more. The crux of the resolution was that it didn’t matter how big your content library was, the broadband penetration was only 20 or 30 percent at most. Everyone was still on dial-up!!!

Now 3G can’t hold all the requests for data and the wireless carriers, as well as the Telco’s and Cable Operators are scrambling how to compete with YouTube (owned by Google), and the plethora of Internet Television Networks cropping up like GCMP.tv that will offer 24/7 programming, a selection of channels all through one website and across multiple platforms.

But with smartphones, and iPads sucking down all that data – the next few months we’re in for a rough ride. See post re Apple’s Antenna Gate and Sprint not FULLY telling the truth about it’s 4G network. Please don’t take this the wrong way because actually I’m jealous – BUT WHO CARES ABOUT SYRACUSE AND ROCHESTER? How many media companies are there?

Bottom line is they don’t know how to split the money yet. Is it the Content Provider (some), Set Top Box Provider (some), Cable or Telco (some), and so it goes.

Fact is we have come A LONG WAY since 2000 but something tells me we’re still going to be in the same spot in 2020. Just with a different set of needs and problems to go along with them.

That’s just called GREED.

Currently in Beta, GCMP.tv syndicates to 150 Viral Video and Social Media Sites as well as mobile content to 70 countries. A little about myself, I head the digital media and emerging technologies division of GCMP.tv. In addition to being a leading New York media strategist, Brian specializes in social commerce, webcasting, building your own network (BYON), ghostwriting and blogging. iProgram specializes in Live To Phone Technologies, mobile video and marketing strategies from its base in New York City. I am also an expert on webcasting and am frequently called upon to execute webcasts from in studio and remote locations. I am a leading New York Based Streaming Media Encoding Technician.

Again – the “LET ME SAVE YOU TIME GUY WILL HELP”.

Maite Perroni, Nelson Mandela, Jared Leto, Fernanda Souza, Silas Robinho, Neymar Gugu, Alan Carr, Despicable Bondan Prakoso Ricardo Gomes I♥YOU, Caio Ribeiro, Felipe Neto preso, CS Silas Robinho, Neymar Gugu, Alan Carr, Despicable, Bondan Prakoso, Ricardo Gomes, Sheron Menezes….

With the exception of Nelson Mandela, I pretty much have to say – NO CLUE as to who Bondan Prakoso is. But supposedly, he “owned” twitter yesterday after an amazing performance at the Hard Rock (I guess New York? – or should it be Miami?). In fact should we assume that “the HARD ROCK” which Bondan Prakoso “owned” was even in New York. Is there one in Zagreb (yet)? That’s Croatia.

If you click on some, forget some, try like 75 to 80 percent of the “trending now” items that crawl across the screen on Twitter, I’m guessing anyone who reads this will have no clue as to what or who these nouns (people, places, things), are? In fact, if you click on the trending items you’ll get something – this page is in Portuguese – do you want to translate it.

Ummm……. let me think ….. errrr…. NO!

Especially when I Google “Bondan Prakoso (and his band) FADE TO BLACK” and get a bunch of kids flashing gang signs. Do they do that because they’re in a gang?

Hmmmm – let me see what their video is like….

HYPE INTERNAZIONALE - BONDAN PRAKOSO AND FADE TO BLACK PULL IT OFF

Does the image look familiar?

Yes.

Is the song in any way unique (I don’t care what its name is – can’t read it or understand the words).

No.

World music for America is great (and England too). But guys, don’t feed us the same crap we’ve been feeding you since we ran out of ideas (oh I’d say about after Nirvana with the exception of die hard U2 fans).

Throw in some gang signs and Woooooaaaaahhhhh….. Cool. Just like the latest American Crap to come out of Nickelodeon BIG TIME RUSH.

Point is hey it’s great that Twitter and the other social networks can put me in touch with great up and coming talent like Dean Jagger from Ireland or and IPTV network in Singapore called RazorTV.com.

But Bondan Prakoso and Fade to Black? Guys – Please – ugh.

Currently in Beta, GCMP.tv syndicates to 150 Viral Video and Social Media Sites as well as mobile content to 70 countries. A little about myself, I head the digital media and emerging technologies division of GCMP.tv. In addition to being a leading New York media strategist, Brian specializes in social commerce, webcasting, building your own network (BYON), ghostwriting and blogging. iProgram specializes in Live To Phone Technologies, mobile video and marketing strategies from its base in New York City. I am also an expert on webcasting and am frequently called upon to execute webcasts from in studio and remote locations. I am a leading New York Based Streaming Media Encoding Technician.

Girls Click This

So I just want to go out on a limb here after watching some trailers and want it documented that I called it. He’s got I guess what you could call the triple threat for a modern day actor… Not too pretty like Gerard Butler, Punk like, well, Punk and the body of a Jason Statham that I used to have.

The attitude of Sean Penn (State of Grace) with the delivery of Jason Statham (Transporter)

Definitely worth a look. Find out more about this guy. I think I’ll head back to the gym after seeing this which I’m sure the wife will appreciate.

1. Captain Newman, MD (1964) with Gregory Peck and Tony Curtis: This is a comedy-drama about a psycho ward in an Arizona military hospital during World War II. Angie Dickinson agreed to a six-year contract with Universal in order to play opposite Gregory Peck in this film. Peck commands the psycho ward and highjacks new orderly Curtis to work in his ward. He then coaxes the head nurse of another ward, Dickinson, to transfer to his.

Gregory Peck in the titular role

There are great performances from Eddie Albert as a colonel who has become Mr. Future, Bobby Darin as the lone survivor of his fellow crewmen, and Robert Duvall (in his second big-screen appearance) as an officer who had avoided discovery by the Germans – and avoided the war - by hiding. The scene when Curtis explains to Peck how the ward got its five-foot Christmas tree is a screen treasure. It ends on Christmas Day.

George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge

2. A Christmas Carol (1984) with George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge: This one has been filmed many times, but this version is my favorite thus far. Scott is perfectly cast, but so are the rest of the cast. Roger Rees as Scrooge’s nephew Fred and David Warner as Bob Cratchit add depth to characters who generally get only routine attention. All the ghosts are wonderful with Edward Woodward being the standout as Present. Timeless!

Donnie Melvin and Geraldine Page

3. A Christmas Memory (1966) with Geraldine Page and young Donnie Melvin: Melvin plays Buddy, who is actually Truman Capote; and Capote narrates this personal memoir of his childhood. Buddy’s best friend is a very simple and kind woman (Miss Page in an Emmy winning role) who “is still a child.” Every Christmas the two of them, with their dog Queeny, gather and buy all the ingredients for fruitcakes and mail the cakes to “friends.” They share the house with Buddy’s two aunts, but we only see them on Christmas morning. This one is super special. “It’s fruitcake weather!”

4. The Christmas Tree (1969) with William Holden, Virna Lisi, Bourvil, and young Brook Fuller: The critics hate this one, but I love it. Holden’s son, Fuller, is exposed to radiation from the explosion of a plane carrying a nuclear bomb. While Holden explains to his girlfriend that his son’s condition is incurable, you hear a car crash. When he leaves, you see the commotion of the accident, but Holden, the devastated father, never notices it. Holden tries to make his son’s last days as happy as possible, and he even gets him two wolves as pets. “We’re so lucky: every day is a holiday!” the boy exclaims. If it were only so. It ends on Christmas Eve.

5. A Dog of Flanders (1959) with Theodore Bikel, Donald Crisp, and young David Ladd (son of Alan and former husband of Cheryl): A boy and his grandfather (Crisp – superb as usual) befriend an abused dog; the dog befriends them by helping to pull their milk cart on their daily rounds; an artist, Bikel, befriends the boy, who also wants to become an artist. But what happens when the grandfather dies and the boy must survive on his own? Filmed on location in the Netherlands. It ends on Christmas Day.

6. The Homecoming (1971) with Patricia Neal and Richard Thomas: This inspiration for The Waltons TV series was recognized as an instant classic the moment it first aired. Patricia Neal was still recovering from three strokes and had to be persuaded to take the part of the mother. It’s the Depression Era, and the father has had to find work far from home. It’s Christmas Eve, and his family is waiting for his homecoming. It’s John-Boy, the recipe, and even a ride in a one-horse open sleigh.

7.

7. The Lady and the Tramp (1955) with the voice of Peggy Lee: This is my all-time favorite Disney animated classic. Can a streetwise stray settle down with pampered cocker spaniel? The Tramp treats the Lady to a spaghetti dinner outside an Italian restaurant and the result is pure magic. Disney’s artists beautifully and realistically captured the mannerisms of our canine friends. The songs are also good, especially one sung by Peggy Lee. This special movie begins on one Christmas Day and ends on another.

Vintage Howard Duff as he looked at the time of “A Little Game”

8.  A Little Game (1971) with Ed Nelson, Diane Baker, Katy Jurado, Howard Duff, and young Mark Gruner: A boy (Gruner) brings his best friend (Christopher Shea) home from the Hastings Military Academy for the Christmas holidays. The boy hates his new stepfather (Nelson), and he may have already murdered a classmate back at the academy. The stepfather hires Al Dunlap, a private detective , to investigate. Dunlap,  superbly played by veteran actor Howard Duff in too small of a role, describes Hastings as “a hatchery of war mongerers and twisted little minds.” Mark Gruner is excellent as the deranged cadet who worshipped his sadistic late father and is very possessive of his beautiful mother (Baker). The boy has a master-slave relationship with his “best friend” and wants his own rifle for Christmas!

9. Little Lord Fauntleroy (1980) with Alec Guinness and young Ricky Schroder: An impoverished New York City youth learns that he is the heir to a British title and estate. Although, a product of Hester Street, we can tell that the boy, Cedric, was well taught by his mother and family friend/”servant”: whenever he uses the wrong verb, he quickly corrects himself and speaks properly. His best friends are a grocer and a boot-black. The grocer, Mr. Hobbs, hopes the boy will become a Democrat so that he will help the have-nots. There are many political references comparing the Democrats to the Republicans and the common people to the aristocrats. The boy moves into his grandfather’s castle, but his mother must live separately in a distant cottage. The Earl, wonderfully portrayed by Alec Guinness, wants nothing to do with her. Things begin to change when his grandson and estranged daughter-in-law win over the nearby citizenry with their love and goodwill. The Scrooge-like grandfather begins to get interested in life again. Complications arise when another youth claims to be the rightful heir. Look for Patrick Stewart (Star Trek’s Captain Picard) in a small role. It ends on Christmas Day. [Note: This Jan. 2012, I found a DVD of this little gem at santaflix.com - it's a widescreen version that allows us to enjoy the Emmy-winning cinematography.]

Katherine Hepburn and Peter O’Toole

10. The Lion in Winter (1968) with Peter O’Toole, Katherine Hepburn, Timothy Dalton, and Anthony Hopkins:  Henry II is having a Christmas Court and hopes to pick the heir to his British throne. He invites his three sons and even invites his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, whom he has kept locked in a tower for years. Miss Hepburn won her second of four Best Actress academy awards for this one, and it may be her finest performance. Anthony Hopkins made his debut in this film as Richard the Lionhearted. Don’t miss a single word or frame of this delicious film. And John Barry’s music is fabulous as well.

11. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol ((1962) with the voice of Jim Backus: The nearly blind Magoo is a great Scrooge! You will be surprised at how faithful this animated version of Dickens’ story is handled. There are some catchy tunes, but the  dark side of Dicken’s England is captured quite successfully.

Julian Ciamaca as Marcel

12. My Mother’s Castle (1991) in French with English subtitles: This is the sequel to the splendid little film My Father’s Glory, which is one of my favorite summer movies and should be seen first. Autobiographical, this movie continues the story of Marcel Pagnol’s wonderful childhood. With young Julian Ciamaca playing Marcel, the film is in good hands. For the Christmas holidays, Marcel’s family decides to return to the hills where they had vacationed the previous summer. They then decide to return on a regular basis and use an illegal shortcut along a canal to make their visits more practical. This one is fun. And beautiful!

Teddy Eccles as Sam

13. My Side of the Mountain (1969) with Theodore Bikel and young Teddy Eccles: One critic described it as “an improbable story of a boy who ran away from home to live on his own in the woods.” Ironically, it is a true story based on the actual experiences of a GIRL! When the girl wrote her book, she changed herself to a boy so that readers would find her adventures more believable. Teddy Eccles plays Sam, the young “Thoreau,” with confidence and maturity. Sam escapes from the city of Toronto into the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, he creates a home for himself and his pet raccoon Gus inside a dead tree, he captures and trains a peregrine falcon, he makes his own clothes, he goes skinny dipping in his own pond, and he pursues his experiments with the uses of algae. Theodore Bikel shows up as the wandering minstrel Bando in search of local folk songs, and he and the boy hit it off – but the singer has to leave before the first snow falls. Fortunately, Bando returns on Christmas Day.

14. The Night of the Hunter (1955) with Robert Mitchum, Shelly Winters, Lillian Gish, and young Billy Chapin (pictured): Billy Chapin carries this film, while being surrounded by some of the very best in the business. Chapin and his little sister, possessing money stolen by their late father, are chased by madman Mitchum, but they find refuge with Lillian Gish. This is the only movie ever directed by screen and stage legend Charles Laughton. Incredibly, this beautifully filmed movie was originally panned by the critics, and Laughton swore never to direct another movie. It ends on Christmas Day.

Mary Tyler Moore and Timothy Hutton

15. Ordinary People (1980) with Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton, and Judd Hirsch: This is Hutton’s film, but his Oscar was for Best Supporting Actor. Ms. Moore’s supporting performance is astounding because we still recall her TV sitcom days; however, she was nominated in the wrong category and lost in the Best Actress competition. This was the first film directed by Robert Redford, and it is pretty near flawless and was awarded the Best Director Oscar. The teenaged Hutton is recovering from a failed suicide attempt. His brother had recently drowned in a boating accident, but he had been able to survive. His mother can seemingly show him no love. His father, superbly played by Sutherland, who amazingly wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar, is aware of the growing problem between his wife and son, but doesn’t know what to do. The son begins to see a psychiatrist, best supporting nominee Hirsch, and finds someone he can talk to. This is no ordinary film. Part of the story takes place during the Christmas season.

John Mills and John Howard Davies

16. The Rocking Horse Winner (1949) with John Mills and young John Howard Davies: A boy (Paul played by Davies) rides his rocking horse to ”know” the winners at the race track. The hired hand (Mills) is a former jockey and places the bets for him. The boy  hopes the money will help his mother, who spends money as though she were wealthy. Paul’s father can’t keep a job and is a compulsive gambler who is a terrible card player. The story begins during the Christmas season, and Paul receives the rocking horse as a gift.  Soon, Paul begins to hear the house whispering, “Money, money, we need more money.” Considering himself to be lucky, he finds he has a gift for ”knowing”  the winners of the races. Interesting and off-beat.

Ian Michael Smith and Joseph Mazzello

17. Simon Birch (1998) with Joseph Mazzello, Oliver Platt, Ashley Judd, David Strathairn, and Ian Michael Smith: Young Mazzello plays a boy who is eager to learn who his father is. His best friend is a dwarf named Simon Birch, who believes he has a special destiny. Their church’s Christmas play, with Simon as the baby Jesus, is a riot! Jim Carrey narrates and also makes a cameo appearance at the end.

John Wayne, Harry Carey, Jr., and Pedro Armendariz

18. Three Godfathers (1948) with John Wayne, Harry Carey, Jr., Pedro Armendariz, and Ward Bond: Three bank robbers, being pursued by Ward Bond’s posse, help deliver a baby and promise the dying mother to take care of the newborn infant. It’s one of the Duke’s best, and it’s directed by John Ford! Before you know it, you discover the western you are watching is a Christmas tale.

Leo G. Carroll, Basil Rathbone, and Humphrey Bogart

19. We’re No Angels (1955) with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Leo G. Carroll, Basil Rathbone, and Joan Bennett: On Devil’s Island, three escaped convicts (Bogart, Ustinov, and Ray) help out a naïve family, the Ducotels (Carroll and Bennett), at Christmas time against a ruthless relative (Rathbone) who is coming to check the store’s books. The hero turns out to be Adolph. You never see Adolph, but he is Aldo Ray’s pet snake.

Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby

20. White Christmas (1954) with Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, and Dean Jagger: Two army buddies (Crosby and Kaye) team up after WWII as a singing act. They help out another singing duo, two sisters played by Clooney and Vera-Ellen, and go with them for the sisters’ gig at a Vermont ski resort. The resort happens to be owned by the general they served under and loved during the war (Jagger). Christmas is approaching,  there’s no snow, there are no tourists at the lodge, and the general may lose his resort! Need I say more?

by David Offutt, October 2005 (Re-edited November 2009)

–Miss Haynes, if you’re ever under a falling building and someone offers to pick you up and carry you to safety, don’t think, don’t pause, don’t hesitate for a moment, just spit in his eye.

In my opinion, this movie has an undeserved reputation for being too sappy and sentimental. Now, granted the ending is as heartwarming and blatantly manipulative as classic Hollywood gets, but in most of the film whenever there is a moment that starts to feel maudlin or saccharine it gets undercut. I think this fact accounts for the film’s endurance. It is by far my favorite Christmas musical with its wonderful Irving Berlin score, fabulous dancing and witty one-liners.

From the very beginning, the sentimentality is interrupted. World War II soldiers waiting to go up to the front lines are giving a Christmas show. After Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) sings “White Christmas” in a simple style, accompanied only by the sound of a music box, he starts to give a speech praising their commanding officer General Waverly (Dean Jagger) who is being sent back to the States. Before the tears can start flowing, Waverly interrupts the speech for one of his own where he reveals his affection for his men by criticizing them. He winds up by saying that if they don’t give his replacement everything they had, he would come back and fight for the enemy. Now, compared to Patton, Waverly’s a pussycat, but he definitely doesn’t like the soft stuff.

This is followed by an attack where Wallace’s life is saved by Phil Davis (Danny Kaye). Davis hurts his arm in the process. When Wallace goes to thank Davis, the gratitude gets cut short by Davis requesting a favor – not a small one either. When they get out of the army, Davis wants to team up with Wallace, a big solo star, onstage. Wallace is taken aback, but agrees. An amusing montage follows the duo’s success. Every time he wants them to try something new, Davis reminds Wallace about saving his life by clutching his arm. Eventually they become big shot producers as well as performers, but their success has backfired on Davis. He now starts trying to play matchmaker and set Wallace up with girls. When questioned, he finally admits that his motives are not entirely pure. Wallace has become such a workaholic that he’s driving his partner crazy. Davis figures if Wallace gets married and has nine children that he spends five minutes a day with that will give Wallace 45 minutes all to himself. Crosby and Kaye have an appealing chemistry and ability to deliver zingy one-liners.

Enter the Haynes sisters: Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy (Vera-Ellen). Wallace and Davis go to catch the girls’ nightclub act because they are the sisters of an old army pal. Wallace is immediately attracted to Betty, which Davis actively encourages. Their standard “meet cute” contains one of the most realistic reasons for her to be offended. Usually the hero does something silly, but here Wallace actually insults her integrity by implying that everyone in life is out for him or herself. Betty and Judy sing the classic number “Sisters,” which starts off talking about how they are such devoted sisters…but ends up with, “Sister, don’t come between me and my man.” If that wasn’t enough, there’s a reprise of the number with Wallace and Davis in semi-drag that’s hysterically funny and completely lacking in mawkishness.

Later, the warm and fuzzies start to creep in with some rhapsodizing about the “Snow” in Vermont. This gets stopped in its tracks when they all arrive to find a perfectly sunny day with no snow in sight. You can see that there’s a pattern developing here. Even the most heartwarming ballad in the picture, “Count Your Blessings,” doesn’t go unscathed. After the first romantic singing of the duet, Wallace tries to reprise it with Betty only to be shot down mercilessly.

In fact, the conflict of the film between Betty Haynes and Bob Wallace results from her misunderstanding of his attempt to help out his old general. She thinks that the way Wallace’s publicity will treat General Waverly will be deliberately syrupy and bait sympathy in a way that would humiliate the proud old man. Although this is not his intention, that antipathy toward the manipulative tugging of the heartstrings is refreshing.

Clooney gets several good numbers, particularly “Love Didn’t Do Right Be Me.” She has a convincing chemistry with Vera-Ellen, who was easily one of the best dancers the era offered. Danny Kaye doesn’t get as much of his particular brand of comedy as he would in another film, but he was a replacement for Donald O’Connor who was a replacement for Fred Astaire. He is wonderful with Vera-Ellen in “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing,” but my favorite number of his is “Choreography.”

As in all good films, the supporting cast is splendid with Dean Jagger as General Waverly and Mary Wickes as Emma, who works for him, standouts. The titular number is used to good effect, unlike the previous Waikiki Wedding that overused “Blue Hawaii.” “White Christmas” is only sung twice: once in the beginning and once at the end. Its reprise is appropriate as the performers are attempting to recreate the circumstances of the first time it is sung. Yes, the ending is as happy as any Hollywood produced…but after all, who really wants a Christmas movie with a sad ending?

But the film quickly turns Loy into a standard melodramatic female role with the appearance of Cary Grant. Grant’s a successful pilot–who doesn’t even have to time to acknowledge fliers like Loy–and Loy seems to love him for it. It’s excusable at this point, part of the narrative; it isn’t until later the melodramatic syrup clogs the whole film down.

Grant ends up blind–but not really blind, there’s the chance he’ll get his sight back–and the film becomes an advertisement for anti-blindness. It’s too bad there isn’t a word for it, as it’s difficult to describe the film’s hostility towards the blind. Where they could make distinctions between Grant’s character’s situation and those of blind people, they make generalizations. It’s stunning–being blind, according to Wings in the Dark, is worse than being a leper. It really is a burden on friends and family and the world at large. Plus, Grant might awkwardly bump into things, you know, to show off how he can’t see after just having an argument about people deceiving him because he can’t see. All it needs is a laugh track.

Grant and Loy do have a lot of chemistry, which keeps it going through some of the worse scripted scenes. There’s a walk through the woods, for instance, and it’s beautifully done. James Flood’s a fine director, but he can’t do much with the content.

Just before the worst of the poor blind Grant scenes, there’s some more fine Loy as the female flier material. The film’s trying to put way too much into seventy-five minutes and without the screenwriters to pull it off. Both leads have individual story lines deserving of attention and the film’s attempt to tie them together fails.

It doesn’t help the supporting cast is phoning in their performances. Hobert Cavanaugh’s direction was apparently to have a loud Scottish accent and he does, even if it’s shaky at times. Roscoe Karns, who should be lovable as Loy’s thoughtlessly ambitious manager, is not. Any time he comes on the screen, it’s unbelievable Loy would associate with such a snake. Dean Jagger’s good, but he’s only in it at the beginning and end.

There’s some nice aerial photography and there’s a fine effects sequence at the end, but the movie stops early. That effects sequence earns it some more consideration and instead of playing it all out, it ends at the first possible moment following. Going a little longer and concluding some of the story lines wouldn’t have helped a lot, but it would have helped some. Especially since Loy spends the last quarter of the film alone in a cockpit, not the most interesting place for an actor to be….

CREDITS

Directed by James Flood; screenplay by Jack Kirkland and Frank Partos, based on an adaptation by Dale Van Every and E.H. Robinson and a story by Philip D. Hurn and Neil Shipman; director of photography, William C. Mellor; edited by William Shea; music by Heinz Roemheld; produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr.; released by Paramount Pictures.

Starring Myrna Loy (Sheila Mason), Cary Grant (Ken Gordon), Roscoe Karns (Nick Williams), Hobart Cavanaugh (Mac), Dean Jagger (Top Harmon), Russell Hopton (Jake Brashear), Matt McHugh (Mechanic) and Graham McNamee (Radio Announcer).

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• O.S.S. (1946, Irving Pichel)
• Bad Day at Black Rock (1955, John Sturges)
• Revolt of the Zombies (1936, Victor Halperin)
• Libeled Lady (1936, Jack Conway)
• Double Wedding (1937, Richard Thorpe)