trashname Reviews

The Pink Panther (1963)

A film that disappoints.

[4/10 · 20 January 2011]

The storyline is quite common: thieves conspire to steal a jewel. Check.

Niven, Wagner, and Cappucine are the thieves and their roles are adequately developed, but that is ultimately wasted. Sellers, the absolute high point - and only reason to watch, really - is the bumbling detective.

The problem is that the 113 minute runtime is 30 minutes too long. This tortoise loses the race - at least in 2011. Maybe it won in 1963.

The film is unevenly paced, thus providing opportunity for a well timed power nap. Niven's come on to the Princess, the masquerade ball, and a car chase are the three scenes that upset the pacing.

With so many characters competing for the spotlight, it is disruptive to the flow.

Again, Sellers is stellar. His comedic timing is efficient and without that, this celluloid "jewel" would be just a hunk of carbon.

Sellers gets a 10, the rest of the movie a -6, leaving it with a 4 rating from me.

Accent on Love (1941)

Pretentious humor?

[1/10 · 9 January 2011]

An unbelievably bad film.

Though not labeled as a comedy, this is slapstick drama. And I use the term "drama" advisedly.

As an FDR period class envy prop piece, it couldn't be more adverse to the cause if it had tried. The lead character - a rich man who saw the light - uses 3rd grade leverage to achieve his ends after being enlightened by the down-trodden masses. That is, he threatens to embarrass his nemesis by organizing tenants to clamor about high rent if said enemy does not capitulate to his "demands". What?

From pulling cops noses to wiping coal dust on his apartment owners shirt (that to make him like the common working stiff) this film will keep you laughing . . . . . unintentionally.

Still, a laugh is a laugh.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

A snapshot . . .

[3/10 · 13 December 2010]

of how this powerful medium can be used as propaganda. It is that characteristic that makes this film important.

The viewer that just wants to be entertained will be so.

Things were rough in 1936. The modern escape mechanism was (and remains) to shift the vicissitudes of life into the realm of "The buck stops there". Easy targets, the capitalists. Especially when you get the emotions of a country to swing to the beat. Movies can facilitate that. Toss in the political opportunities and - voilà - you have a compliant herd.

The substitution of Deeds for $$$ and his obligations regarding the same is unmistakable.

I guess the most believable part was the portrayal of the press pretending to have some moral redeeming value. I'm afraid that ship has sailed.

The film gets a 3 from me, if for no other reason than its self possessed prescience.

A noteworthy and valuable film - even if I don't care for it.

Backlash (1956)

If you like beautiful scenery . . . .

[5/10 · 30 January 2010]

then this movie is great one to watch. I really don't understand all the love for this movie, but accept that it is what it is.

For me, the script and screen writing is pure high school level. There is simply no rhythm to this film. The acting, given the quality of script, is not bad, though wasted. The relationship between Reed and Widmark develops implausibly. In fact, every relationship in this less than epic oater develops with with an expedition better suited to humor an audience than to lasso them into believability.

A sample: The scene where Widmark takes the dead deputy into Silver City is ridiculous. The "sheriff" (Ed Platt) doesn't even ask the circumstances surrounding the death of his deputy and makes force-less demands of Widmark to remove his gun. Next thing you know, Widmark and Reed are ordered out of town. For what?? Defending themselves?? What does not make sense here is that Platt is demanding accountability from Widmark and Reed, but none from aggrieved brothers of the dead deputy. Silly.

The whole film is loaded with these sorts of inconsistencies.

Reed is gorgeous and thus competes agreeably with the natural beauty of the western landscape where this film was shot.

A lot of stars perform in this effort, but not a lot of stars in my rating.