psych-shawn Reviews

The Wrong Man (1956)

Just Wrong

[1/10 · 14 August 2018]

Boring and predictable are two words that are never associated with Alfred Hitchcock, but "The Wrong Man" is both.

The story never catches fire, the acting is flat and drones on and on. Once the crime is revealed, early on, you know exactly how the case will proceed and how it will be resolved.

You keep waiting for a twist or a reaction from the lead character, but you get nothing but more bleh...

Anything else by Hitchcock would be better...

The Hangman (1959)

Vigilante Injustice

[1/10 · 5 July 2018]

This could have been a pretty good Western. It had a solid cast with Robert Taylor, Fess Parker, a young Tina Louise (Ginger on Gilligan's Island) and Jack Lord (Hawaii 5-0). The plot was good about a lawman sent to arrest a wanted fugitive for his part in a holdup that ended in murder.

And 3/4 of the movie is very enjoyable, solid 7/10 stars. But...

Your reaction to this movie is likely to depend upon your answer to three questions:

1. Should lawmen ever allow personal feelings affect how they perform their duties? 2. Should lawmen treat suspects differently because they like or dislike them? 3. Is it right for ordinary people to take the law into their own hands if they like or dislike a suspect?

If you answered yes to all these questions, you will probably like it. If you answered no to any of them, you will probably not.

Adventure in Manhattan (1936)

A Must for Screwball Comedy Fans

[8/10 · 6 June 2018]

If you like screwball comedies, you'll like "Adventure in Manhattan." If you like Jean Arthur and Joel McCrea you'll like "Adventure in Manhattan."

"Adventure in Manhattan" is not really a mystery or detective movie and it is definitely NOT a noir. So don't watch it hoping to be dazzled by impressive deducting or menaced by psychotic killers. Watch it for the zany laughs.

This is not the best screwball comedy ever made, that honor probably belongs to "It Happened One Night," "My Man Godfrey" or "His Girl Friday." Nor is it the best film McCrea and Arthur made together; that would be "The More the Merrier."

But an average screwball comedy with two of the greatest stars of the Silver Screen makes for an above average night at the movies. Put on the popcorn and watch the sparks fly...

Pursued (1947)

Soap Opera Not Noir

[3/10 · 5 June 2018]

Pursued is a soap opera in Western clothing -- it is NOT a film noir. The plot is choppy, slow and has major holes. If you don't like the characters attitudes, just wait five minutes -- they'll change...and change again and again...

I'm a big fan of Robert Mitchum, but this was not his best performance. He has no chemistry with Teresa Wright. Dean Jagger plays a thoroughly hateful villain, though.

The cinematography and the beautiful desert rock formations were worth two extra stars...

Gun Fury (1953)

Major Disappointment

[4/10 · 21 April 2018]

With stars like Rock Hudson, Donna Reed and Lee Marvin, a script by Roy Huggins and direction by action film legend, Raoul Walsh, "Gun Fury" seemed like a sure thing. Boy was I disappointed.

The script relied on constant character stupidity to move the story along; Hudson and Reed had no chemistry together and Lee Marvin doesn't have his usual nutjob role to ratchet up the interest.

The scenery was spectacular and the score quite good in places. But this 82 minute film had me looking at my watch before the halfway point.

Rock Hudson was much better in "The Undefeated." If you want a good Donna Reed/Roy Huggins western, try "Hangman's Knot." Raoul Walsh made several better westerns like "Colorado Territory" and "The Tall Men."

Manhandled (1949)

Not a Noir but a Parody

[9/10 · 21 April 2018]

If you're expecting a true film noir, "Manhandled" might disappoint you. If you view it as a parody, you should really enjoy it.

In the middle of the complicated plot with double and triple crosses galore, confusing flashbacks and stylized violence, the police detective and his assistant have a running gag about the brakes on their squad car.

Dan Duryea steals the show as an over-the-top wiseguy who out-thinks himself in a needlessly complicated theft and attempted frame. Dorothy Lamour is gorgeous as always, and plays the opposite of a femme fatale. Alan Napier plays a "sophisticated" Englishman who confesses to dreaming about killing his wife with just the right level of snobbishness and ennui. And a very young Sterling Hayden plays the romantic interest for Lamour.

"Manhandled" is not just a parody of noir films but also sophisticated detectives like the "Thin Man" series.

The Red House (1947)

Teen Noir is Too Slow

[3/10 · 11 August 2017]

"The Red House" tries very hard to combine two genres with little success. On one level it's a typical teen romance with all the usual lover's quarrels and petty jealousies. On the other hand it's a psychological suspense a la "Rebecca" or "Spellbound" but lacking the genius of Hitchcock.

There's not enough red herrings or other diversions for a good suspense movie. The film moves so slowly, you can't help but guess the "secret" long before the end. The teen romance angle had more potential with Rory Calhoun, Allene Roberts and a very sultry Julie London in the cast, but Calhoun and London don't get enough screen time to keep you interested.

Although I usually love Edward G. Robinson, the lack of real suspense in the film drained his performance of much of it's power. Judith Anderson does a good job playing against type, but it's not enough to save this turgid cluster gaggle.

A Double Life (1947)

Tedious Waste of Talent

[1/10 · 28 April 2017]

Q: How can a film starring Ronald Coleman, Edmond O'Brien, Shelley Winters and Lt. Tragg (I mean Ray Collins), written by Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, and directed by George Cukor be so awful?

A: To quote Shakespeare (who is used abominably in the movie): "It is a tale told by an idiot. Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing..."

The characters are poorly drawn, the action, choppy and incoherent; the plot, slow as molasses and yet telegraphed from a mile away.

The movie was a big hit with the Oscars in 1947, which only proves the deep wisdom of the "Emperor's New Clothes" all over again. They filled it up with Shakespeare and modern psychobabble and choppy editing and crazy camera angles and no one wanted to admit that they didn't get it.

If you want a great Ronald Coleman romance, watch "Random Harvest." If you want a great O'Brien noir, see "D.O.A.", a great Cukor comedy watch "The Philadelphia Story."

But don't waste your time on "A Double Life."

Hired Wife (1940)

Why Scripts and Directors Matter

[4/10 · 3 February 2017]

"Hired Wife" must have seemed like a can't-miss follow-up to "His Girl Friday". Rosalind Russell is cast, once again, as the indispensable right-hand (wo)man to the big boss, with suave Brian Aherne in the Cary Grant role. The plot was reversed, however, with Russell pursuing the boss, instead of vice versa.

There are some good moments in the film -- many of them supplied by Robert Benchley portraying his usual drunken, befuddled sidekick.

Unfortunately, where "His Girl Friday" was crisp and energetic, "Hired Wife" is slow and lethargic -- perhaps it should have been named "Tired Wife." Even worse, where HGF is full of belly laughs, HW only produces occasional smiles.

To those who would blame the result on the replacement of Cary Grant with Brian Aherne, I would point out that Aherne was very good in a similar role in "Merrily We Live" which was a much funnier film. No, I think the key difference was MWL was directed by Norman Z. McLeod who did some of the Marx Brothers' best films and HGF was made by the legendary Howard Hawks. The writer of HGF was Charles Lederer who also wrote gems like "I Love You Again," "Love Crazy," and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."

It's not terrible, but it has been done so much better in films like "More Than a Secretary," "Wife vs. Secretary," and "She Married Her Boss" among others.

Childhood's End (2015)

Ponderous Empty Gasbag

[2/10 · 12 January 2017]

The beginning is pretty good as the alien invasion is visually quite impressive. But then the talking begins and goes on and on and on without saying anything. And then it goes on some more.

SciFy took a 225 page paperback and blew it up into a three-part, five and a half hour miniseries. Heavy portentous music plays throughout letting us know something BIG is about to happen. But it's not until nearly 4 hours in before anything does.

Whether you think the ending is profound or jejune will depend upon your worldview. For me, it just showed the utter emptiness facing mankind without a Creator who loves and sustains them...

Lonesome Dove (1989)

Life Stinks, Then You Die

[1/10 · 28 September 2016]

I love Westerns. The best ones (Naked Spur, The Searchers, Ride the High Country, Shane, etc.) told gritty tales of struggle and hardship, of man at war with nature, evil and himself. They are not alabaster saints, they are real people struggling with real temptation and real failures, but in the end they are redemption stories of people making amends and saving others from their mistakes.

In "Lonesome Dove", however, the message is different: Life Stinks and Then You Die.

8 hours of talk, talk, talk with no point but vanity and stupidity will get you killed. If that's news to anyone, just surf the internet for five minutes, it'll save you wasting a lot of time.

The St. Louis Bank Robbery (1959)

Pseudo Documentary Approach Yields Pseudo Fun

[4/10 · 22 January 2016]

I like film noirs that are stylish, witty and fun -- like the Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, and Out of the Past. They may not represent reality, but they do create an alternate world that is enticing and one you want to visit -- even if only for 90 minutes at a time.

The Great Saint Louis Bank Robbery chooses to focus on the gritty, grimy side of crime in an effort to seem more "realistic". It may be closer to the truth than the stylized noirs of the 40's but it is also much less entertaining. The dialog is boring, the acting contrived (McQueen is trying so hard to be the next Brando or James Dean and it's just painful to watch), and the plot so predictable.

For a movie like this to work, you have to sympathize with a least one of the characters and I couldn't. Three of the four leads were certifiable mental cases and the other one was dumb as a stump.

For a much better heist noir, try KC Confidential or the Asphalt Jungle...

Nichols (1971–1972)

Vastly Overrated

[4/10 · 14 September 2015]

I love James Garner. I love offbeat Westerns like Butch Cassidy, Silverado, Blazing Saddles, Maverick and Support Your Local Sheriff). I love Stuart Margolin playing any kind of slimy con- artist.

So why don't I love Nichols?

1) Not nearly enough Garner. In the episodes I watched, Garner got maybe 20% of the screen time. Margolin got a couple lines here and there. The other actors/characters just aren't strong enough to carry the show the other 80%. 2) Terrible scripts. Offbeat is one thing, but completely lacking in coherence and believability is another. 3) Lack of focus. The producers/directors/writers had no clear idea of what the show was about. It shifted from anti-Vietnam rants to F-troop style gag humor, to earnest social commentary. 4) Just NOT funny. Brevity is the soul of wit. Too many of the scenes went on and on with no clear purpose and no really funny lines.

I'm sure the network thought an offbeat Western with James Garner set in the era of Butch Cassidy couldn't miss. They thought wrong.

The Brasher Doubloon (1947)

No Bogart, No Powell, No Problem

[7/10 · 3 September 2015]

Almost all the reviewers of the Brasher Doubloon have complained that George Montgomery was no Bogart or Powell. True. Would this film had been better with either of them playing the iconic Philip Marlowe? Of course. And while you're at it, it would have been better with Lauren Bacall as the femme fatale and Peter Lorre as the villain, etc. etc.

Get over it, not every classic film can have a Hall of Fame cast. Many movies with 'B' stars were very entertaining -- and the Brasher Doubloon is a good example.

Watch the film with fresh eyes, pretend this is NOT Raymond Chandler's Marlowe and I think you'll enjoy it more. In this film, Marlowe is younger, handsomer and more suave. The script, which many also complained about, suits the persona of the debonair George Montgomery better than the more cynical lines given Bogart and Powell.

The main actors did a good job with their portrayals, the plot keeps you guessing with some good twists, the photography is great, the outdoor locations perfect.

In sum, this is NOT the Maltese Falcon or Murder, My Sweet which are 10+. But the Brasher Doubloon is a solid 7 and well worth watching on its own merits.

Cause for Alarm! (1951)

Stupid Behavior Creates Contrived Jeopardy

[3/10 · 16 April 2015]

I generally like Loretta Young, but unfortunately this script requires such dumb behavior on her part, that I found myself getting angry with her stupidity rather than the clumsy machinations of the villain.

Barry Sullivan is largely wasted in this one note performance, he was so good in Tension.

Irving Bacon adds some much-needed comic relief as a whiny postman who talks the ears off everyone on his route.

A similar story and situation has been brought to life far more enjoyably in Sorry, Wrong Number and Gaslight which I highly recommend.

Although the film is only 74 minutes long, it still seems to drag. There are some drawn-out scenes with a neighbor kid on a trike who I guess was supposed to add a cuteness factor, but didn't really advance the plot at all.

Death Comes to Pemberley (2013)

Excruciatingly Slow and Tedious

[1/10 · 31 March 2015]

I really wanted to like this. I loved the original book by Jane Austen but was intrigued by the idea of a twist in the "happily ever after" ending.

A great spoof could have been made, something like Monty Python and the Holy Grail for the Georgian era. Or it could have been a very genteel black comedy like Kind Hearts and Coronets or Arsenic and Old Lace. They could have played it straight and have Lizzie as Miss Marple...

But instead we get a slow, turgid, lifeless, incoherent story that takes nearly an hour before anything happens. And by the time it does, you just don't care...

Woman Hater (1948)

Amusing Bit of Fluff

[7/10 · 18 March 2015]

If you like Stewart Granger in any movie, you will like him in "Woman Hater" as he plays himself once again.

The plot is silly and has been done over and over again. The fun is not in the destination but in the journey.

Ronald Squire steals the picture as the butler who gets all the best lines:

French movie starlet with an attitude upon entering the castle: "Oh, it looks like the inside of a prison."

Butler: "You have the advantage of me."

Movie starlet: "Where did you learn how to make Crepes Suzette like that?"

Butler: "I was a cook in the Army."

Lord Datchett after a major foulup, now getting ready for dinner: "I going to change now."

Butler: "Excellent idea, sir."

There is also a fair bit of slapstick in the film which didn't work as well for me, but it kept me amused throughout.

Saskatchewan (1954)

Beautiful Canadian Rockies are the Star

[7/10 · 16 February 2015]

Saskatchewan is well worth watching for the spectacular scenery and cinematography alone. But in fairness, the story and acting was above average for a 1950s Western, too. The plot has been done before and some of the dialog is cliché, but if you like a reasonable effort to show a balanced portrayal of both sides of the Indian/white conflict -- you should like this movie.

If you liked Alan Ladd in Shane, you'll like him here, as well. Jay Silverheels, before he became Tonto, is his adopted brother. A young Shellie Winters and J. Carroll Naish add interest.

I had to laugh at all the reviews complaining about the title and noting that the film was filmed in Banff National Park which is in Alberta, not Saskatchewan. They apparently did not read the introduction which clearly stated "Saskatchewan River Territory - 1877". At that time, neither Alberta nor Saskatchewan existed as Provinces. But the Saskatchewan River, then as now, begins in what is now Banff National Park.

There were a number of other complaints about the anachronistic Mountie head gear worn in this movie. I suggest they send those letters to the retired Mountie Commander who was the technical adviser for the film. Surely, he should have returned his fee if they refused his advice on such a crucial matter (sarc).

Wicked Woman (1953)

Rule-Breaking Noir Heats Up Screen

[9/10 · 14 February 2015]

I really LOVE traditional film noir with its dark, atmospheric settings and bizarre camera angles, its staccato dialog full of over-the-top innuendo and fist-like bluntness, the tortured characters with their compulsions and secrets and the complex plots told in flashbacks and surprise twists.

Wicked Woman is the film noir that breaks all these rules but kept me glued to the screen. Whereas the typical film noir is highly stylized and artificial, Wicked Woman is played out in very natural, gritty locations and sets. Instead of shadowy streets and darkly lit rooms the femme fatale sashays in and out of well-lit scenes in a series of flashy all-white outfits accented by her platinum blonde hair.

In a typical noir, you feel that all the action is pre-ordained, that everybody is trapped in their situation and compelled to follow the script for their life. In Wicked Woman, the characters are free to choose, to make their own script. They are very complex and unpredictable in ways that don't feel contrived. When the danger gets ratcheted up in the second half of the film, you have NO idea how it will be resolved and you feel genuine suspense.

The acting is excellent, from the leads to the supporting cast, the performances are memorable and all lend to the authenticity.

Some people have pooh-poohed the ending -- it's NOT a typical noir there either. But it will will surprise you, and it will get you thinking...

Some will argue from all this, that Wicked Woman is not a noir film at all. Maybe they are right, perhaps it is the anti-noir. I'm OK with that -- it was still very entertaining.

The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)

Pretty Good "B" Noir

[7/10 · 9 February 2015]

For a "B" film, "The Man Who Cheated Himself" is very well done. The script is pretty good, Lee J. Cobb is terrific as a world-weary police lieutenant who gets tangled in a web of lies.

John Dall plays his "newly-promoted, determined-to-make-good" younger brother and partner competently.

The primary flaw with the film is Jane Wyatt who overacts the part of the femme fatale. Someone like Gloria Grahame or Lizabeth Scott would have been perfect.

The ending was a bit abrupt, but gave a fitting film noir conclusion to the proceedings. All in all, well-worth watching despite these small flaws.

Sudden Fear (1952)

Good but not Great

[6/10 · 9 February 2015]

I liked Sudden Fear but I didn't love it. On the plus side, Joan Crawford is always a force of nature, and this film is no exception; and Jack Palance and Gloria Grahame give good performances as well. The cinematography is good and the use of San Francisco locations adds luster.

My trouble is with the script. The first half of the movie drags a bit--almost as if they are trying to lull you to sleep--before they whack you over the head with the first big twist.

I love twists in a plot, but they need to be believable and organic to the characters. This one felt contrived, and the character's response to the twists unbelievable. It was like watching three different personalities playing the one part -- with no real explanation for WHY the sudden shifts and turns of personality.

The Great Flamarion (1945)

Slower than Molasses in Winter

[4/10 · 5 February 2015]

I watched this film based on the favorable reviews posted here. Do NOT repeat my mistake. The Great Flamarion is so slow -- it's 78 minutes felt like 2 hrs.

The script was poor, the dialog flat, the plot predictable and the ending telegraphed from the first scene.

I guess everybody else was wowed by the big name director (Anthony Mann) and the big name director turned actor (Erich Von Stroheim) and the sort of big name producer (William Wilder - brother of Billy Wilder). It just proves that you can't judge a book by its cover, nor a movie by its credits...

South of Pago Pago (1940)

Watch "The Hurricane" Instead

[5/10 · 31 October 2014]

This movie was an attempt to imitate the success of "The Hurricane" which was made three years earlier also starring Jon Hall as a Tarzan- like South Pacific Islander. Unfortunately, South of Pago Pago was NOT directed by John Ford and it showed.

The script is very predictable, the characters are one-dimensional and the acting varies from wooden to hammy. Whereas "The Hurricane" was able to develop a real insight into the soul of the islanders and their way of life, "South of Pago Pago" portrays them too simplistically to ever really identify with.

Please watch "The Hurricane" instead.