Daily Archives: April 29, 2023

A Bill of Divorcement (1932)

Posted on April 29, 2023 | Leave a comment

A Bill of Divorcement
Directed by George Cukor
Written by Howard Estabrook and Harry Wagstaff Gribble from a play by Clemence Dane
1932/US
RKO Radio Pictures
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Sydney Fairfield: It’s in our blood, isn’t it?

Katharine Hepburn was a little bit too mannered in her film debut. But boy did she light up a screen! Fourth-billed after David Manners, she was definitely a shimmering star in the cinema firmament from her first line of dialogue.

Billy Burke was divorced long ago from institutionalized shell-shocked lunatic John Barrymore. It is the eve of her wedding day to the man she loves. Daughter Katharine Hepburn is happily engaged to David Manners.

Of course, Barrymore escapes from the asylum that same day expecting to find his wife waiting. Much drama ensues.

I enjoyed this mostly for the performances of Hepburn and Burke. Barrymore is fascinating to watch but takes his character right over the top.

The Great Santini (1979)

Posted on April 29, 2023 | Leave a comment

The Great Santini
Directed by Lewis John Carlino
Written by Lewis John Carlino from a novel by Pat Conroy
1979/US
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental

Bull Meechum: I am Santini, the Great Santini.
Bull Meechum: I come from behind the moon, out of the dark, unannounced.
Bull Meechum: Watch out!

Robert Duvall plays the title character, a career Marine fighter pilot whose real name is Bull Meechum. He’s an alcoholic , loves mean jokes, and treats his family as if he is the drill sergeant and they are a bunch of grunts. He has a hot temper and can lash out with violence. His family is simultaneously proud of Bull’s accomplishments and both terrified and resentful of his many outbursts.

This is also the coming-of-age story of the family’s eldest son Ben (Michael O’Keefe). Being the first born male enormous expectations are placed on him. Can he stand up to his father and carve his own place in the world?

This is one of Robert Duvall’s greatest performances, enough to warrant a watch all by itself. I watched it last on original release and I still remembered vividly where Duvall taunts Michael O’Keefe by bouncing a basketball off his head. The whole thing is a very well-done and powerful dissection of the dysfunctional family.

Red-Haired Alibi (1932)

Posted on April 29, 2023 | Leave a comment

Red-Haired Alibi
Directed by Christy Cabanne
Written by Edward T. Lowe from a novel by Wilson Collison
1932/US
Tower Productions
IMDb page
First viewing/YouTube

Like all New York hotel lady cashiers she had red hair and had been disappointed in her first husband. — Al Capp

Cigarette-stand girl Merna Kennedy gets hired by man-about-town Theodore van Eltz to pose as his wife at critical moments. She is unaware he’s a gangster. Eventually, she marries a straight-arrow widower and forms a mutual admiration society with his toddler daughter (Shirley Temple in her film debut). Complications ensue.

Actors are appealing. Plot is kind of meh.

A star is born

The Sin of Nora Moran (1933)

Posted on April 29, 2023 | 2 comments

The Sin of Nora Moran
Directed by Phil Goldstone
Frances Highland from a story by W. Maxwell Goodhue
1933/US
Larry Darmour Productions
IMDb page
First viewing/YouTube

True love is selfless. It is prepared to sacrifice. — Sadhu Vaswani

Getting back in the saddle with some brief reviews of films I’ve watched since last time.

I had been looking forward to this one because of its iconic poster. Zita Johann (The Mummy) plays the titular character. I love her exotic looks. Otherwise it’s kind of a meh “Back Street”-type melodrama where a girl sacrifices all to save her married politician lover.