beetiesmom Reviews

Divorce (1945)

Not so hot.....

[2/10 · 15 January 2014]

I wouldn't give this an "awful", but it was nearly so. The story was so preachy---I guess it was meant to be. Kay's character Diane and her furs fling into town and steal an old inamorata away from his wife---on their 10th wedding anniversary! That's the bottom of the barrel, no doubt. The thing with Kay Francis was that she always had that little smirky smile on face...did she always play super-rich, super-intelligent women? If so, didn't she get tired of it? Back to story...why Indignant Wife didn't march over to the garden swing, grab The Hussy by her shiny hair and drag her around the yard (and kick Hubby With The Wandering Eye right square where it hurt the worst) is beyond me, and why didn't the 80+ guests go find Bobby for the cake-cutting themselves?? All valid questions, IMO. Anyway, Hussy gets her comeuppance; I was sure waiting for a cat fight when she met Ex-Wife at the door as she was leaving~~~didn't happen. Best part of the movie? The passenger train receding down the track. As an aside, was that train doing about 200 mph? LOL! Silly, silly, silly movie.

Skirts Ahoy! (1952)

Not all THAT horrid, I guess............

[3/10 · 26 March 2012]

If nothing else, I loved the graduation marching scenes at Great Lakes, b/c we have a movie reel of my husband, wearing the same dress whites and leggings in 1967 as are featured in the movie. It was nice seeing where he did his training before serving three tours in Vietnam. However, the overacting was a little too much, the songs a tad inane, though I did like The Navy Waltz. IMO, the most laughable line in the whole movie was when the recruits got off the bus to begin their boot camp training and one girl remarks, "Say! They didn't tell me there'd be MEN here!". WHAT??? Who wrote this drivel? If all else failed, it made me want to go swimming!

Roseanne: Satan, Darling (1996) Season 9, Episode 7

Another yawner, except for Mo

[5/10 · 24 April 2008]

The episode looks like it was just flung together and, as was usually the case for Roseanne's later episodes (post-plastic surgery, post-lottery win), pretty much UNfunny. The Devil scenes??--What the..? However, Mo Gaffney absolutely steals this show away. She is hilarious! I always loved her on AbFab; those episodes were my all-time favorites. And then to see her on the two Roseanne episodes, in my humble opinion, saved what was left of an increasingly stupid and inane show. I know Roseanne was having a rough time, but evidently, she was putting everyone in the show through an equally hellacious time. At least, she used what was left of her brain to hire Mo Gaffney for those two shows. As an aside, I always felt John Goodman should have hurled Roseanne through a window, preferably from the 19th or 20th floor.

Roseanne: Two Down, One to Go (1993) Season 6, Episode 1

Roseanne, after this episode, becomes decidedly UNfunny

[1/10 · 5 March 2008]

This season, starting with this first episode, was the downhill slide of "Roseanne". We see the start of her transformation from funny-though-loving and sometimes cantankerous, to a totally bitchy, mother-hating, husband-thrashing unmitigated SHREW. Somehow, it started with the physical changes~~~big cheekbone implants garishly highlighted by slashes of dark blush, the unhealthy-looking fake tan, the dark-lipstick sneer and downward turn of the mouth, the mean eyes and stick-straight hair that hung around the "not Roseanne any longer" face. She's gotten rid of Tom Arnold and her schizophrenia has taken over big time, blaming her family for all her present problems. I think Tom said that Roseanne had multiple personalities and they all hated him.

I don't know what went on backstage, but I have the feeling the cast and staff suffered mightily at those awful hands, always covered by too-long sleeves which made her look ridiculous.

And, I'm sorry, but I'll never figure out why so many characters on her later shows had to be gay. What was up with that??

The Miracle of Marcelino (1955)

Was this supposed to be a true story?

[23 December 2007]

I never knew whether this was one of those Catholic legends that a few people said they experienced and then it becomes written in stone as true, or this is just a movie; but a movie to teach....what? I saw this film when I was in about the third (early 60s). The nun who taught religion nearly went into rapture at viewing it~~~it scared the crap out of me, and the only part I remembered all these years was the end where Jesus KILLS THIS HEALTHY LITTLE BOY!! Our church had a crucifix with a life-sized body of Christ on it and for a long time after that, I was afraid to sit anywhere near the front of church for fear Jesus would reach down and snatch me away. What a terrible film to show young, impressionable children. I just happened to be flipping channels when I saw it on EWTN and wondered if it could possibly be the same movie (I couldn't remember the title) that had me paralyzed with fear when I was a child. It was.

I have left the Catholic Church because of the variety of "events" which have occurred through the years. The last straw was the election of the most recent pope, a man who set the Roman Catholic Church back decades instead of moving it forward. I had long ago decided what I was taught in parochial school was a load of crap, written by men to control and frighten people. I am also thoroughly convinced that if priests had been allowed to be married all along, there wouldn't be all this.....well, you know.

A movie like this just adds fuel to the fire of disgust that many "fallen away" Catholics feel towards the Church. Things need to change; I don't think anyone will disagree with me on this.

Our Very Own (1950)

Sappy and silly

[1/10 · 20 February 2007]

I don't know if this has a spoiler in it or not but I'm not taking any chances. I am probably wearing my feelings on my sleeve with this movie, too, as I am an adopted person myself. Don't know why I have watched this film more than once because I always get so mad~~~which is pretty silly. I hated that Gail's parents couldn't bring themselves to tell her she was adopted, how Gail's adopted mother told the birthmother that her other two children "were their own", Gail's look of icky disgust when her birthmother was lower-middle-class (Gail looked at the woman as if she had leprosy), the fact that the birthmother was portrayed as common, and the snippiness of both the adoptive mother and the 16-year-old sister. Of course, the father was a complete idiot. Had I been the housekeeper, I'd have poisoned the whole bunch of them except, well, cute little Natalie Wood.

Okay, so I'm a tad sensitive, so sue me. I know that few adoptees are as fortunate as I am to have found my birthparents and that they are wonderful people, and my half-siblings (well, most of them) are sweet and accepting. I have an adoptive mother I adore and who never kept my adoption secret; she is nearly 90 now and I worship the ground she floats above.

Anyway, movie plots back then were a bit different (gross understatement). For those not adopted, I guess it's a cutesy-pie little trip, but I hate this movie and this is the LAST time I will ever watch it!

National Geographic Specials: Ballad of the Irish Horse (1985) Season 1,985, Episode 3

Such beauty

[10/10 · 6 October 2006]

I am a horse-lover and an Irish American. This film is the ultimate entertainment for me! I love the Chieftains, and their music has added such poignancy to the beautiful scenes of the Irish people and their beloved horses. I have yearned to visit Ireland for ever so long; I hope in the near future I will get the opportunity. In the meantime, this film makes me feel that Ireland, its welcoming people and lovely horses are within reach. Thank you, National Geographic Society. I also have the CD of music from this film. It was well worth the search, as it is not easy to find. The Chieftains have made many musical recordings, and this one ranks right up there with the best, and I will always treasure it. As far as I know, you can only get this film in VHS. Hopefully, it will someday come out on DVD.

Kitty (1945)

Fun with Ray and Paulette

[10/10 · 1 August 2006]

This film is one of my favorites---just a whole heck of a lot of fun, but how I wish it were in COLOR! The costumes are beautiful. For a frivolous trip back to George III's England (great for a rainy night and a cup of tea), you'll enjoy this movie. A 1940s "chick flick", for sure. I even bought the movie book off eBay, with pictures from the film. Kitty, in the original book, is a real tramp---a female Tom Jones almost. They certainly toned that down in the movie script. Reginald Owen as the Duke of Malmunster is a riot and nearly outshines Paulette Goddard's character. Ray Milland is also wonderful. I love the "oldies", and this one is right at the top. Have a jolly good time with this. Cheers!

Hurricane (1979)

Lovely locations!

[7/10 · 21 March 2006]

I actually like this movie, if nothing else, for gorgeous Dayton Ka'Ne, the son of University of Dayton football star, LeRoy Ka'Ne, who graduated from U.D. in the early 50s (my mom was one of his professors). It's sad that he didn't do any more than one other film. The other well-known actors had to struggle with a pretty weak script, but Nino Rota's music was nice and the scenery was GORGEOUS! I watch this movie when I need a mini-trip from the Midwest. One thing I always wondered---what on earth did Matangi see in pale, bony Charlotte when he could have had any of the beautiful, voluptuous Polynesian girls on the island???

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

A wonderful romance

[10/10 · 7 March 2006]

I'm very surprised at the negative comments re this picture. I have read the original novel several times and have to admit that it was lovely watching the brilliant "condensed" version on screen without the windy, tedious and often boring conversations and letters which the characters in Jane Austen's book carried on and wrote. This was "romance in a nutshell", the acting was very good (would have loved to have seen much more of Dame Judi Dench), the soundtrack was magnificent. I have the CD and play it very often---Dario Marianelli was robbed at the Oscars! My daughters and I will cherish this film always. We bought it the day it come out on DVD, but I am so glad we saw it on the big screen, too.

As for the thought that younger people will not be interested in the original novels once they are brought to the screen, my daughters are so enchanted by this movie, they all intend to read the novel, as well, and they will.

How sad that this lovely piece of film-making wasn't even nominated for an Oscar. Instead, something called "Crash" won......(sigh)