Bill (Jack Benny) and Connie Fuller (Ann Sheridan) live a decent life in New York City, but they have one major problem: they can’t find the right place to live. At their current apartment, they’ve run into trouble with the landlord, who hates their mischievous (and slightly destructive) dog. Unwilling to give up the pup, Connie naturally decides that the family’s only option is to … Continue reading George Washington Slept Here (1942)
Norma Besant (Mary Pickford) is part southern bell, part flapper. The daughter of a doctor, she’s a popular, flirtatious young woman with many suitors after her affection. Dr. Besant (John St. Polis) wants Norma to end up with Stanley (Matt Moore), but she’s taken a liking to Michael Jeffrey (Johnny Mack Brown), of whom Dr. Besant doesn’t approve. Despite her father’s misgivings, Norma and Michael … Continue reading Coquette (1929)
The Magic of Audrey is a television documentary originally released in 2011, which aired several times on the Decades TV network in March. This biographical special details Audrey Hepburn’s life and career, incorporating photographs, movie clips, trailers, interviews, and newsreel clips to tell her story. This documentary is on the short side, but still manages to give a good overview of Audrey’s life and work. … Continue reading The Magic of Audrey (2011)
Long before I’d ever seen Astaire and Rogers tap their toes together on-screen, there was one song-and-dance couple that ranked very highly on my list of favorite screen pairs: those ’50s (by way of the ’70s) high school sweethearts, Sandy Olsson and Danny Zuko. My mom was a huge fan of Olivia Newton John’s movies and introduced me to Grease when I was very young. … Continue reading Belated thoughts on ‘Grease: Live’
Sylvia Bruce (Marion Davies) is not your average schoolteacher. A French instructor at the all-girls Briarcroft School where she was once a student, Sylvia dreams of leaving her job and finding a more exciting life, full of romance. Her dream just may become reality when a radio performance by crooner Bill Williams (Bing Crosby) inspires her to leave Briarcroft immediately. She tracks down Bill at … Continue reading Going Hollywood (1933)
Harriet Green (Jessie Matthews) is a London stage star performing one last show before she leaves her career behind to get married. After the show, her fellow actors and stagehands hold a party to celebrate her upcoming wedding. At the party, she’s interrupted and leaves suddenly, learning that the father of her child is planning on blackmailing her for her millionaire husband-to-be’s money. She doesn’t go … Continue reading Evergreen (1934)
Joan Bradford (Josephine Hutchinson) comes from a wealthy family, and she’s expected to have a high-society marriage. Her mother hopes she’ll marry Jelliffe Travis (Gavin Gordon), but she finds him — and the idea of the life she’d have with him — very boring. With the permission of her more understanding father, Joan sneaks out of the house to go to a New Year’s Eve … Continue reading Happiness Ahead (1934)
Joan Ellis (Phyllis Thaxter) is a convicted murderer, sent to death row for her crime. Her execution has been scheduled, and in less than an hour she’ll be dead. Joan’s psychiatrist, Dr. Bergson (Edmund Gwenn), wishes to clarify the facts of the scandalous case. He reflects on her psychological deterioration. She was a normal girl from a normal family, with no history of mental illness … Continue reading Bewitched (1945)
Irene Wagner (Ingrid Bergman) is married to a scientist named Albert (Mathias Wieman), but she’s been stepping out on her marriage, carrying on an affair with a man named Erich (Kurt Kreuger). As if her own anxiety over the situation wasn’t causing her enough stress, Erich’s ex-girlfriend comes a-calling. Johann (Renate Mannhardt) has learned of the affair and has decided to blackmail Irene, making matters … Continue reading La paura (1954)
Wilse Dilling (Lon Chaney) is a man with a bad reputation, known as “dangerous” by the police in Chinatown, where he lives. He has few friends, due not only to his bad reputation, but also to the fact that he can’t walk without the assistance of crutches or a wheelchair (which people judge him for). The mean streets of Chinatown are ruled by Queen Ann … Continue reading The Shock (1923)
