Blacky Gorman (Joel McCrea) and Marje Harris (Ginger Rogers) are young and in love. They’ve been casually dating for a couple of years, and Blacky is finally ready to propose, having found success as a gas station owner. Their future is set. One day, though, Glory Franklyn (Marian Nixon) comes veering into Blacky’s life. She visits his gas station, nearly tearing the place down with … Continue reading Chance at Heaven (1933)
Lorry Evans (Constance Bennett) and Minnie Brown (Pert Kelton) have been released from jail and are boarding a boat for New Orleans. They’re short on money and prospects, but hope they’ll have some luck in the city. When they run into trouble on the boat, Lorry jumps overboard to avoid being arrested again and is pulled from the water by cotton barge skipper Dan (Joel … Continue reading Bed of Roses (1933)
Boyd Emerson (Joel McCrea) and Fraser (Raymond Hatton) are traveling through Alaska by dog sled when they land in the small fishing village of Kalvik. There they meet Cherry Malotte (Evelyn Brent), who is hospitable to them and fills them in on the ruthlessness of the town’s leader, Marsh (Gavin Gordon). Marsh won’t let any outsiders settle in Kalvik… but Boyd and Fraser won’t be … Continue reading The Silver Horde (1930)
It’s a battle between two railroads. The Central Pacific and the Union Pacific are in a race to see which can be the first to reach Ogden, Utah. If the Central Pacific succeeds, bank president Asa Barrows (Henry Kolker) stands to make a whole lot of money… so, naturally, he hires some help to make that outcome a reality. Sid Campeau (Brian Donlevy), a gambler, … Continue reading Union Pacific (1939)
Welcome to the first installment of The Critical Eye, TMP’s non-chronological continuation of the “One Year, One Film” project! These posts will follow the very same format as those bi-weekly “One Year” posts — a brief plot synopsis and review from me, followed by snippets from reviews published around the time of the film’s original release. Today we begin with a Ginger Rogers drama… Primrose … Continue reading The Critical Eye: Primrose Path (1940)
Back in February, you folks may remember that I published two reviews under the theme of “Two films, one tale, one Tyrone” — reviewing 1937’s Love is News and its remake, That Wonderful Urge, both of which star Tyrone Power. I never intended to turn “Two films, one tale” into a series here on the blog, but I just can’t help myself. One sleepy Saturday … Continue reading Two films, one tale: The More the Merrier (1943)
Originally published in Collier’s in 1924, Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” (also known as “The Hounds of Zaroff”) is an incredibly chilling and suspenseful story. It begins with a man named Rainsford, traveling on a boat. He’s having a conversation with a fellow traveler about the island they’re passing by — an island cloaked in superstitious rumors. Rainsford hears odd noises that night, leaves … Continue reading Book vs. Film: The Most Dangerous Game
This review was written for TMP’s Barbara Stanwyck Filmography Project. For links to other reviews in this project, visit Listography. Sergeant Hook (Joel McCrea) finds himself and his soldiers in a battle with a band of local Apache and their leader, Nanches (Rodolfo Acosta). After taking an enormous group of Apache as prisoners, Hook realizes that among them is a white woman named Cora (Barbara … Continue reading Trooper Hook (1957)
A note from Lindsey: This film was viewed as part of TMP’s Barbara Stanwyck filmography project. Check out Listography to keep track of the project’s progress! Jennifer “Lady” Lee (Barbara Stanwyck) has grown up in the world of gambling. Her dad, Mike (Robert Barrat), is a pro at it, but is also an honest man and has never run a crooked game. When a gambling … Continue reading Gambling Lady (1934)
London, 1919. The war is raging on, but nurse Doris Kendall (Constance Bennett) still finds time to fall in love when she meets Captain Barry Craig (Joel McCrea) of the American Army Air Corps. When Barry proposes to Doris the day before he’s supposed to ship out, she refuses because marriage would mean that she would be sent back to America. They spend the night … Continue reading Born to Love (1931)
