Monthly Archives: June 2017

Master of the World
Directed by William Witney
Written by Richard Matheson based on two novels by Jules Verne
1961/USA
Alta Vista Productions
First viewing/Amazon Instant

The megalomaniac differs from the narcissist by the fact that he wishes to be powerful rather than charming, and seeks to be feared rather than loved. To this type belong many lunatics and most of the great men of history. – Bertrand Russell

Vincent Price and Charles Bronson liven up a fantastic voyage that cashes in on popular Jules Verne adaptations of the day.

The movie begins with a bunch of historic footage of unsuccessful attempts at heavier than air flight.  We then move on to 1868 Morgantown, PA.  The townspeople are astounded to hear a great rumbling and a menacing biblical quotation emanating from a nearby mountain.  They assume it indicates volcanic activity.  Department of Interior official John Strock (Bronson) arrives to investigate.  He soon becomes acquainted with arms manufacturer Mr. Prudent (Henry Hull) and his daughter Dorothy.  Prudent and Dorothy’s fiancé Phillip constantly bicker about the hot air baloon Phillip has designed.

Strock convinces the three to take him up in the balloon to take a peak at the crater.  Before they know it, the balloon has been downed and they are prisoners inside a giant air ship, The Albatross.  The Albatross’s captain is Robur (Price), a man with a mission.  This is to end war through threats and violence.  He simply sinks war ships, with all hands on deck if they do not heed his warning to abandon ship.  Mr. Prudent’s party must figure out how to a) escape and (b) destroy the Albatross – preferably both.  Meanwhile there is a mild love triangle between John, Phillip and Dorothy.

I thought this was much more entertaining than its mediocre IMDb rating would imply.  The special effects are not so special but there is an atmosphere of adventure that is very appealing.  Also, just watching Price do his thing is generally a treat for me.  The young Bronson is magnetic – even a bit sexy.

Trailer

Victim
Directed by Basil Dearden
Written by Janet Green and John McCormick
1961/UK
Allied Film Makers
First viewing/Netflix

[box] Frank: Well it used to be witches. At least they don’t burn you.[/box]

Dirk Bogarde is fantastic in this exploration of the consequences of intolerance.

As the story begins, we are introduced to Barrett, a young man on the run.  He keeps calling barrister Melville Farr (Bogarde).  When Farr finally does take his call, he threatens to call the police if Barrett calls again.  This does not deter Barrett from calling Farr’s house and leaving a message with his wife Laura (Sylvia Syms).  We gradually learn that Barrett is fleeing the police who are after him for embezzlement.  The police also suspect that he is a blackmail victim since he lives simply.  Barrett’s arrest leads to tragedy.

Farr is a closeted homosexual (who denies ever succumbing to his desires) and the tragedy moves him to take action.  This takes him and us into London’s gay subculture. Most of its denizens would prefer paying blackmail to jail where revelation of their “crime” would surely take them.  With Dennis Price as a gay actor.

Victim is a sad but powerful film.  I love Bogarde and he is at his haunted best here.  The stigma of being gay hurt so many people, including the women caught up in the struggle to appear “normal”.  I’m glad I have lived to see a new day.

This was an immensely brave film for its time – the first to utter the word “homosexual” and to treat homosexuals sympathetically.  Bogarde was brave to have made it.  Straight actors had rejected the part and it could have lead to unpleasant suspicions about Bogarde, who was gay himself.

I rented this but it is also available on FilmStruck.  Recommended.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPXjIySzzC8

Trailer

One, Two, Three
Directed by Billy Wilder
Written by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond from a play by Ferenc Molnar
1961/USA
Bavaria Film/The Mirisch Corporation/Pyramid Productions
Repeat viewing/YouTube

[box] Otto Ludwig Piffl: Is everybody in this world corrupt?

Peripetchikoff: I don’t know everybody.[/box]

Wilder moves back into Ninotchka territory with this rapid-fire Cold War farce.

It is immediately before the building of the Berlin Wall.  After suffering a couple of tours in Purgatory, Coca Cola executive C.R. MacNamara (James Cagney) is heading up the company’s Berlin office.  His great dream is a promotion to the London office.  The gatekeeper to his dream is his boss in Atlanta, Wendell P. Hazeltine.  So, when Hazeltine asks MacNamara to house and chaperone his wild daughter Scarlet (Pamela Tiffin) while she is in Berlin, he can hardly refuse.

The seventeen-year-old Scarlet is untameable.  MacNamara finally learns that she has been spending all the time she should have been at museums over in East Berlin.  Worse yet, she has married a committed Commie named Otto Ludwig Piffl (Horst Buchholz) and is now pregnant.  And her father and mother will arrive in Berlin shortly …

MacNamara leaps into action, determined by hook or by crook to wrest Otto from East Berlin and civilize him immediately.  With Arlene Francis as MacNamara’s long-suffering wife.

I saw this years and years ago in my youth, perhaps my childhood, and have been unable to track it down ever since.  I jumped at the chance when I saw it was available on YouTube.  My viewing experience was not ideal as the movie occupied only a fraction of the frame and the already rapid-fire talking seemed to approach Chipmunks level.

Nonetheless, the movie was thoroughly enjoyable.  Wilder has fun harkening back to his own and Cagney’s Golden Age past.  The three Russian trade officials are something straight out of Ninotchka.  The director makes fun of all sides in the Cold War, skewering Capitalism and Communism with equal relish.  The dialogue just sparkles.  The film misses being top-tier Wilder only because of its lack of a black heart under the laughs.

By the time the film was released the Berlin Wall was up and few saw any humor in the subject matter.  It was one of Wilder’s few flops to date.  One, Two, Three was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.

Trailer

Clip

The Naked Witch
Directed by Claude Alexander and Larry Buchanan
Written by Claude Alexander and Larry Buchanan
1961/USA
Alexander Enterprises
First viewing/YouTube

[box] “Most books on witchcraft will tell you that witches work naked. This is because most books on witchcraft were written by men.” ― Neil Gaiman[/box]

Teenagers must have been vastly disappointed by this one, even in 1961.

This is the old story of a witch who returns from the grave to get vengeance on the descendents of those that burnt her at the stake.  The only difference is that she wears a see-through negligee most of the time.

If you watch the clip you will see the high point of the movie – and with better music.  Larry Buchanan went on to specialize in soft-core porn.  This isn’t quite that but has the same basic vibe.  Don’t waste your time.

It’s on to more mainstream viewing today!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWhmudXMW_8

Witch’s dance synched to In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – pretty amazing synchronization!