The Horse with the Flying Tail Directed by Jerry Lansburgh Written by Janet Lansburgh 1960/USA Walt Disney Pictures
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] “In riding a horse, we borrow freedom” ― Helen Thompson[/box]
This is an innocuous documentary tracking the career of a cow horse who rose to fame as a show jumper.
The hero is a palomino named Injun Joe. Right off the horse had no problem jumping fences. He also had a temperament that made him very hard to handle by owners who did not treat him with kindness. This meant he changed hands many times. Fortunately, he finally came to the attention of a rider who changed his named to Nautical and took him all the way to winning the King George V Cup.
I like horses and horse movies and this was a pleasant if unexciting example.
The Horse with the Flying Tail won the Academy Award for Best Documentary, Feature.
The Alamo Directed by John Wayne Written by James Edward Grant 1960/USA Batjack Productions/The Alamo Company
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] Jim Bowie: I’d hate to say anything good about that long-winded jackanapes, but he does know the short way to start a war.[/box]
John Wayne’s lone directorial effort is over-long but not half bad.
A vastly outnumbered group of “Texicans” create a fortress from a mission church in San Antonio and prepare to face off with Mexican dictator Santa Ana. They know victory is impossible but hope to buy time as Sam Huston (Richard Boone) works on assembling an army. The Texans are joined by some hard-drinking Tennesee revelers led by Davy Crockett (Wayne). Other key players are Jim Bowie (Richard Widmark) and the humorless and rigid commander of the forces, Col. William Travis (Lawrence Harvey).
We follow the bickering and adventures of the men as they prepare for catastrophe. The battle itself takes up perhaps the last fifteen minutes of the film.
This movie is quite OK but never really sings in any way despite the big bucks invested in it.
The Alamo won the Academy Award for Best Sound, Recording. It was nominated in the categories of Best Picture; Best Supporting Actor (Chill Wills); Best Cinematography, Color; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Original Song (“The Green Leaves of Summer”); and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.
Inherit the Wind Directed by Stanley Kramer
Written by Nedrick Young and Harold Jacob Smith from a play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
1960/USA
Stanley Kramer Productions
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Matthew Harrison Brady: I do not think about things I do not think about.
Henry Drummond: Do you ever think about things that you do think about?[/box]
Worth seeing just to witness Spencer Tracy go mano a mano with Fredric March.
The story is loosely based on the Scopes Monkey Trial in which a school teacher was prosecuted for teaching evolution. “Bertram T. Cates” (Dick York) stands in for Scopes, “Henry Drummond” (Tracy) stands in for celebrity defense attorney Clarence Darrow, Matthew Harrison Brady (March) stands in for celebrity prosecutor William Jennings Bryan, and E.K. Hornbeck (Gene Kelley) stands in for journalist H.L. Mencken making snarky comments from the sidelines.
The setting is a largely fundamentalist Christian small town in early Twentieth Century Tennessee. The famous trial and advocates turn the community into kind of a circus and whip the townspeople into a religious frenzy.
The conviction is a foregone conclusion. The trial is kept vastly entertaining by the speechmaking of Brady and the withering cross-examination of Brady himself as an expert on the Bible. With Florence Etheridge, March’s real life wife, as Brady’s wife.
Tracy got the Oscar nomination and he is great but I thought March was robbed. Between his makeup and his acting he absolutely becomes the consummate politician and bible thumper with a fragile ego hid where he hopes it doesn’t show. This is still tragically relevant in 2017 and definitely worth a watch.
Inherit the Wind was nominated for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Actor (Tracy); Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Written for Another Medium; Best Cinematography, Black-and-White; and Best Film Editing.
Orson Welles: The Paris Interview Directed by Allan King 1960/Canada Allan King Associates/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
First viewing/YouTube
[box] A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet. — Orson Welles[/box]
An engaging look into the mind of a master.
In this documentary made for Canadian TV, the 45-year-old Welles talks about his career to date and philosophizes on Hollywood, acting and life.
This was the kind of interview where the interviewer tries to show how clever he is with his questions. Fortunately, the answers are always candid and to the point. Welles has the kind of voice that just makes him seem like he would be pompous. To the contrary, he is completely disarming. Recommended.
Body in the Web (Ein Toter hing im Netz; AKA Horrors of Spider Island) Directed by Fritz Böttger Written by Fritz Böttger, Eldon Howard and Albert G. Miller 1960/West Germany Intercontinental Film GmbH; Rapid Film
First viewing/Amazon Prime
Gary Webster: A hammer! There must be someone on this island! A hammer… with a long handle… It must be for the purpose of excavating some sort of metal, most probably Uranium.
Recommended only for those who are interested in heaping helpings of very mild soft-core porn mixed in with some bad horror. Â I am in the wrong demographic.
A promoter is hiring a bevy of beautiful exotic dancers for a tour of Singapore. Â First we are treated to a long sequence of their auditions. Â Their plane crashes and the troupe washes up on a desert island. Â After they discover the body of a uranium prospector trapped in a huge web, the girls start competing for the attentions of the studly promoter. Â Various cat fights ensue. Â Then a couple of the prospector’s horny young associates arrive. Â More cat fights and hanky-panky follow. Â All the while a very bad giant spider puppet and the promoter, who has been transformed into a spider-man, sporadically menace.
This very bad German movie was made not much worse by its complete Americanization. Dubbing and aliases protected the identities of the guilty. Â I watched this so you don’t have to.
Purple Noon (Plein soleil) Directed by Rene Clement Adapted by Rene Clement and Paul Gegauff from the novel The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith 1960/France/Italy Robert et Raymond Hakim/Paris Film/Paritalia/Titanus
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Philippe Greenleaf: It seems awfully complicated. You’d be caught immediately.
Tom Ripley: Not necessarily. I might not look it, but I’ve got lots of imagination.[/box]
This excellent movie makes me want to head straight to the Italian coast. Not with Tom Ripley, obviously …
Philippe Greenleaf is a rich and self-satisfied ne’er-do-well who is on a permanent vacation in Europe. Philippe’s father hired Philippe’s “childhood friend” Tom Ripley to fetch his son back to San Francisco. Tom amuses Philippe and they are now raising hell together. It is clear right away that Tom is jealous of Philippe’s money and lifestyle. This envy is exacerbated by the fact that Philippe treats Tom the way he treats everybody else – badly.
Eventually, Philippe, Philippe’s fiancee Marge, and Tom set off for a cruise on Philippe’s yacht. Marge wants more private time and Tom learns of Philippe’s intention to eject him. This sets in motion Ripley’s elaborate plan to take Philippe’s money, girlfriend and life.
The whole film is bathed in sun but it is at bottom the darkest of film noirs. Alain Delon makes an utterly attractive and charming psychopath. I love the ironic witty dialogue throughout and the fabulous cinematography and compositions. Nino Rota’s score is another plus. Highly recommended.
Restoration Trailer
******************
I’m going to Las Vegas for a few days to see my new grand-niece. Will be back to reviewing January 29.
Never Let Go Directed by John Guillermin Written by Alun Falconer; story by John Guillermin and Peter de Sarigny 1960/UK Julian Wintle/Leslie Parkyn Productions
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] [on developing a role for the screen] I walk around, trying different accents, feeling my way to the character. I stare at my own image in the mirror every morning, waiting for the other fellow – the man I’m going to play – to emerge and stare back at me. I am waiting for the stranger to come into my life. When it happens, I have this flush of happiness. — Peter Sellers[/box]
I saw this back at the dawn of time but didn’t remember the title. Peter Sellers’ performance in this violent film noir was unforgettable however.
Lionel Meadows runs a garage but his real business is in stolen cars. In his work, he employs a number of people including a gang of teenage hoodlums lead by Tommy Towers (Adam Faith). Meadows is outwardly quite affable but any deviation from his will is met with vicious physical violence.
John Cummings (Richard Todd) is a cosmetic salesman. He is desperate to prove himself after a number of failed efforts. His over-zealousness has made him unpopular with his customers however. He recently purchased a car in an attempt to increase his sales calls and sales. True to form, he has neglected to insure it.
Tommy steals Cummings’ car from outside his place of work. Pressure on the police does not net Cummings his vehicle so he begins his own investigation. He refuses to stop after urging by both the police and his long-suffering wife (Elizabeth Sellars). He may not survive the inevitable final confrontation with Meadows.
Peter Sellers is absolutely fantastic in a deadly serious role. I still remembered the shocking scene with the aquarium after so many years. The story itself moves at a brisk pace. John Barry wrote the jazzy score. Despite a quibble with the very end, I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
Intimidation (Aru Kyohaku) Directed by Koreyoshi Kurehara Written by Kyo Takigawa and Osamu Kawase 1960/Japan Nikkatsu
First viewing/FilmStruck
If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid.” ― Paulo Coelho
This Japanese film noir packs a lot of goodness into just 65 minutes,
As the film begins, Takita is at a party celebrating his promotion to the head office of the bank he works at. The festivities are interrupted by a private visit from a sinister figure who threatens to expose the illegal loans Takita made if he does not pay 3 million yen by the day after tomorrow. The only chance Takita stands is to rob his own bank. I’m not going to spoil the rest of the story because there are a number of twists.
All the characters in this are unpleasant and Takita, whom one would normally expect to be the protagonist may be the most unpleasant of all. The story probably would not stand up to a more full length treatment but I was thoroughly entertained for the hour running time. I’m looking forward to the other Kurahara films on my list.
The Gallant Hours Directed by Robert Montgomery Written by Beirne Lay Jr. and Frank D. Gilroy 1960/USA Cagney-Montgomery Production
First viewing/Amazon Instant
Fleet Admiral William F. ‘Bull’ Halsey Jr.: Half a carrier is better than none.
Robert Montgomery was never afraid to experiment in the films he directed. Some of his experiments worked better than others.
As the film begins, it is 1945 and Admiral Bull Halsey (James Cagney) is retiring after a long career in the U.S. Navy. We segue to flashback and the story focuses on the time immediately after Halsey took command of naval operations in the South Pacific. It was then that he was instrumental in the U.S. victory on Guadalcanal against heavily superior Japanese forces.
We follow the planning and strategy for various operations, including the bombing mission that killed Japanese admiral Yamamoto. Halsey maintains a quietly decisive demeanor throughout. With Dennis Weaver as an aide.
This film features lots and lots of voice over narration that gives it a documentary-like feel. Unfortunately, it is a rather distancing device and despite all the combat involved there are few moments of excitement. Worse, the entire film is scored with choral music. It is so odd to hear angelic voices pop up at the most random moments! I read that there was a musician’s strike at the time but I can’t think of a less appropriate story for a choir. Cagney is admittedly fantastic, as usual, as the stolid admiral.
Eyes Without a Face (Les yeux sans visage) Directed by Georges Franju Written by Pierre Gascar, Claude Sautet, Jean Redon et al from Redon’s novel 1960/France Champs-Elysees Productions/Lux Film
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
[box] Doctor Génessier: Smile. Not too much. [/box]
“Beautiful” is not an adjective usually applied to horror movies.
Dr. Genessier (Pierre Brasseur) is a physician who experiments with tissue transplants in his off hours. Many of these are performed on the kennel of dogs he has stolen. When his reckless driving causes an accident that destroys the beautiful face of his daughter Christiane (Edith Scobe), he has a new project.
His technique actually had some success with Louise (Alida Valli). Now she is his faithful assistant and sets about kidnapping girls with Christiane’s delicate beauty for the doctor’s horrendous facial transplant surgery. In the meantime, Christiane’s simple wish is to go blind or die.
This is a horror movie without monsters or jump cuts. The shivers come mostly from the artfully graphic surgery sequences. Then there are all those enraged dogs. This is a poetic, somberly paced film. The black-and-white cinematography looks exquisite on the Criterion Blu-Ray. Recommended.
I’ve been a classic movie fan for many years. My original mission was to see as many movies as I could get my hands on for every year from 1929 to 1970. I have completed that mission.
I then carried on with my chronological journey and and stopped midway through 1978. You can find my reviews of 1934-1978 films and “Top 10” lists for the 1929-1936 and 1944-77 films I saw here. For the past several months I have circled back to view the pre-Code films that were never reviewed here.
I’m a retired Foreign Service Officer living in Indio, California. When I’m not watching movies, I’m probably traveling, watching birds, knitting, or reading.
Photographs and videos found in this blog, unless indicated, are not owned by me and are here only for the purpose of education and discussion. Media found here are not intended for any commercial purpose. Copyright infringement is not intended.
Written material belongs to me and is copyrighted by flickersintime.com
