Reviews
Casino Royale (1967)
Lame
Great cast. Awful movie. What a waste. Even Deborah Kerr is subpar. Why this even got made at all is attributable to the fact that Hollywood wanted to make more James Bond movies, always excellent box office attractions, especially in the 1960's. This one is too camp and over the top to be funny even as a spoof.
Tequila Sunrise (1988)
My Favourite Movie
A truly great screenplay by Robert Towne and a great cast highlight this film. Dale McKusic (Mel Gibson) is an ex-con drug dealer trying to go straight, build a small business and raise a son. Complicating things are his friends, a cop Nick Friescha (Kurt Russell) and the druglord Carlos (Raul Julia) and Dales' no good cousin (Arliss Howard). Friescha will do anything he can not to have to bust his childhood friend, Dale. Carlos wants Dale to work for him again. The DEA agent sent in to head the investigation (J.T.Walsh) wants Dales' head at any price and is willing to go through Friescha if he has to. On top of all that he falls in love with a beautiful restauranteur (Michelle Pfeiffer) who wants nothing to do with organized crime and is involved with Friescha.
Mel Gibson has never been better as the hero with a checkered past trying to rebuild his life. Raul Julia almost steals the show as Carlos the druglord ping-pong enthusiast.
This is not an action film any more than it is a romance. It is the type of crime drama that could have been made in any time period.
Keetje Tippel (1975)
Appropriate for the History Channel not late night cable
This movie details the struggle of young Dutch women,Keetje Tippel (Monique Van De Ven) from the countryside who moves with her family to Amsterdam in search of a better life only to find themselves living among filth, vermin and squalor in a slum. She finds work in various jobs where conditions are horrible and she is subjected to constant sexual harassment and eventually rape.
Finally she becomes a prostitute which ends up being her gateway to the good life as she becomes mistress to the banker, Hugo (Rutger Hauer) and later the respected wife of Hugo's wealthy friend.
This is an expose of the Dutch class-system in the 19th century and has socialist and feminist overtones. It ranks among the best of 1970's Dutch cinema and is easily the highlight of Monique Van De Ven's career.
Warning! Although there is some nudity and sexuality it is not done in celebration of sensuality but rather explores the dark side of exploitation of sex. This is a very serious film and not for those looking for light entertainment.