sharlyfarley Reviews

Burn Notice (2007–2013)

The Best Show You're Finally Catching Onto...

[10/10 · 12 February 2012]

I have to give this show a ten because it's kept its quality for four years, and not many do that. Even rarer, these characters grow and develop, relationships change. Michael could barely stand his mother in the pilot - check it out now. Fiona and Sam were at each other's throats, but Michael blended them into a team and they developed a friendship. Every year ends with a cliffhanger - and only the writers know how they're going to solve the last one. First class villains and clients you don't want to see lose. Thoroughly engaging, with brains and brawn in every frame...Not to mention that Miami is photographed so carefully it becomes a virtual character in the show. Stumbled onto the pilot, and haven't missed an episode yet.

My Geisha (1962)

"Dramedy" Before Its Time: See it for Shirley

[6/10 · 3 July 2009]

"My Geisha" never quite manages its transitions smoothly, but they were trying something quite difficult for the period: a comedy with some genuine depth of feeling. They get there in the end, thanks to MacLaine and Montand, but there are a couple of stops along the way. You've read the setup by now, and know that Bob Cummings is playing her leading man, while her husband (Montand) is the Director of his first serious film without his wife's fame to help him succeed. He Has to Do It On His Own. It takes both his wife and his producer much too long to take this seriously, and thereby endanger both marriage and friendship. Because they think he'll come around, or appreciate the joke of her disguise, we do too...until he finally recognizes her. At that point, Montand stops being a supporting player and moves into full partnership. We believe him, and ache for him. We don't believe that "Bob Moore" is his best friend. Cummings' "arrested adolescent" is unfunny and unappealing, and he's given way too much screen time. Edward G Robinson is a pleasure throughout, but a lot of the gags - mixed bathing, sumo wrestling - are fairly condescending and forced in spite of the obvious admiration for Japan and its culture. The scenery is stunning, but there's sadness too in seeing it now. Nobody shoots beautiful films about Japan IN Japan any more; "Last Samurai" was largely shot in New Zealand, "Memoirs of a Geisha" in California. And the undercurrents - the Parker/MacLaine marriage and its eventual dissolution - sometimes haunt the script. Franz Waxman's peppy score keeps preventing us from really believing we're watching a shoot about "Madame Butterfly". When the Puccini music finally arrives, it's marvelous. And when Shirley lip-synchs the aria, she breathes like a singer. Shirley MacLaine went on to prove over and over again that she was more than a kooky comedienne...but at the time this film was made, it was a case of Art imitating Life. It's uneven, but parts of it are definitely worth seeing.

The Animal Kingdom (1932)

The Woman in His House Was Not His Wife

[7/10 · 1 October 2008]

No doubt about it, Loy commands the screen here, and is worth watching all the way through. Agreed, Ann Harding is stodgy and overdressed for her supposedly Bohemian lifestyle, but she does reflect the earnest sincerity of the Conscious Rebel. The original title "The Woman in His House," suited the story better... Define 'wife', for example. Tom Collier (Leslie Howard) is a man enthralled by a young beauty, and her hold on him is frankly sexual. His previous relationship with artist Daisy (Harding) certainly included sex, but was also built on warm friendship, mutual friends, shared values. They prided themselves on lack of "chains" which later turns into a lack of commitment. Long familiarity had cooled things off enough for Daisy to take an extended trip to Europe. While Daisy was off in Europe working on her art, Tom was at loose ends; his rich father thoroughly disapproved of him because he didn't make enough money. Tom's cozy house full of books looked great to me, but Daddy thought he needed a mansion. Tom had noted there was a depression on, and hired a washed up boxer as a butler so the man wouldn't starve. He appreciates Red Regan (Gargan) for his good humor and warm friendship. Tom loves a beautifully crafted book, and putting them together is his art. As Cecelia (Loy) draws him away from his other sources of joy, he finds pleasure isn't enough to fill the gap left by Daisy's departure, along with all his friends. He's continually pressured to sell his publishing house to the equivalent of Silhouette Romances, and that breaks the spell. The climax - and it does take awhile to get there - is Tom watching Loy display all her wiles while he keeps refilling her champagne glass, and you can see him think about that word "wife." And he's not confused any more. The acting in the last scene between these two is masterly, and well worth the wait.

The Crimson Kimono (1959)

Nobody Cared Who Killed Sugar

[8/10 · 26 June 2008]

This starts out as a lurid thriller - probably what the studio demanded, and Fuller had fun with - the murder of a stripper on a crowded street. Then we get the two detectives, and we think, "Ah, a buddy film." Our first tip that something fresh is afoot is Joe's visit to the cemetery of the 442nd Battalion - the most decorated group of soldiers in WWII. These were Nisei (Americans of Japanese descent) who were often fighting in Europe while their relatives were in internment camps in California. We also get a brief tour of "Little Tokyo" in Los Angeles. Ah, exotic atmosphere. Our buddies - the handsome winsome Charlie (Glenn Corbett) and nisei Joe (James Shigeta) have a wisecracking patter that covers their deep friendship. Then the case leads them to Chris, played by Victoria Shaw - not only beautiful, but possessing a dignity rare in fifties actresses. We take for granted that Charlie's going to fall for her, and expect her to fall for Charlie...Then there is The Conversation. We learn that Joe has a sensitive side, he plays a nice piano and his father was an artist. Chris is an artist, and they have something to talk about. Shigeta's so charming, we're not surprised that Chris is drawn to him, we're surprised the picture allows it. That's the flip: that this interracial love story is allowed to proceed on its own terms. From that scene on, nobody cares who killed the stripper. We want to see how Joe can resolve stealing his best friend's girl, or whether Chris will react to being treated like something that could be stolen. When Joe finally tells Charlie that he loves her, Charlie reacts "You mean you're going to MARRY her?" Joe responds, "You wouldn't have said it that way if I was white!" Huge blowup. Racism has been thrown into the mix. As it would have been, and probably would be still. Or is it the perception of racism? My only problem was that Joe says the racism is new to him...Impossible. He'd have been called a "dirty Jap" at least a dozen times before he was ten years old. He'd have heard it in the army - that's why the 442nd was sent to Europe, after all. He'd've heard it on the police force. His reaction to Charlie should have been, 'Not you, too!." But nevertheless, it all works pretty much as life does. He gets the girl, but his friendship with Charlie is damaged forever.

Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

Is the shoe on the other foot?

[10/10 · 27 May 2007]

Watching the film for the fifth or sixth time this Memorial Day, I had a whole different set of emotions (on top of all the others from previous viewings). Shame and fear, for two. Will someone in the Hague read the same indictments to us for Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo? I shuddered when Widmark read out the new 'Nuremberg' laws - secret arrests without notifying friends or family, holding without trial, torture...How uncomfortably close to the patriot act. The first reviewer mentioned that the essential message had been lost - it wasn't the Holocaust, it was what led up to it: the betrayal of law and the concept of justice for survival. "Survival as What?"

Germany drifted into the betrayal of its civilization. Fifty years later, they told us not to invade Iraq. Germany recovered. But are we caught in the same drift?

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976)

One of the most nearly perfect movies ever made

[10/10 · 31 January 2007]

It's hard to ask for more from a film than Nicholas Meyer and Herbert Ross have given us here. No Sherlockians were offended and most were delighted by the idea that Holmes cured his cocaine addiction with the help of Sigmund Freud. The players are magnificent, from Nicol Williamson's brilliant nervous Holmes and Robert Duvall's sturdy Dr. Watson to the always-reliable Alan Arkin as a thoroughly charming Freud. Vanessa Redgrave shows up and glows. There's only one song, but it's by Stephen Sondheim, if you see what I mean. Lavish entertainment, with brains and beauty...and a saber duel at the end, aboard racing trains. See it if you can.

Executive Suite (1954)

The high cost of the low price...revisited

[7/10 · 11 December 2006]

On the contrary, the film has dated...but it's not the film's fault. It's that the Loren Shaws won. The bottom line became everything...and the factories closed and reopened overseas. Small towns died all over the country, and the world that this movie shows us was perfectly real...and gone.

Watching the scenes with factory workers meeting their families outside the gates, listening to Holden's splendid speech at the end, brought tears to my eyes. There was a time when "Made in America" was a guarantee of quality. We wore clothes, for example, that had been made in the US - and often sewn by union workers. No more.

The contest has always been between those who valued the company and those who valued the stockholders...Executive Suite gives you a great picture of a victory of the man who valued the whole company, so take a look and see what's missing.

Sergeant Ryker (1968)

Using up the scraps

[6/10 · 12 August 2006]

The release of "Seargant Ryker" on tape was beautifully timed to take advantage of Lee Marvin's 'discovery' after 25 years of character acting. There was a brief shining moment when he won an Oscar, top billing and much better parts. However, this movie is a cobbled-together version of a two-part television drama. This drama originally served as the pilot for the series "Court Martial" which predated "JAG" by a few years. (When 'Court Martial hit the air, it was moved to WWII England, as opposed to the Korean War locale of "Ryker.") A few combat sequences were tacked on to "Ryker" make it look like an action film, which it isn't. It's a talky courtroom drama - but some of the talk is first-rate, as is BradfordDillman's performance as the reluctant defender. He's the one that's on screen most of the time, holding the plot together with the strength of baling wire. Vera Miles was always a competent actress, but never a star; she exuded a likable prettiness. If I sound mild about Miles, it's because she never moved me much. Dillman, on the other hand, did - he labored under a terrible handicap in the movies:he couldn't hide the fact that he had been to school, knew which fork to use, and was obviously bright. He was a better-than-good actor (see the underrated "Circle of Deception") and is definitely worth watching here.

An Inconvenient Woman (1991)

Gorgeous Guilty Pleasure

[7/10 · 4 May 2006]

Dominick Dunne does UpperCrust Sleaze better than anyone...Next to Dunne, Dynasty looks tinny and Judith Krantz like a social climber. Dunne KNOWS. So you've got a witty script with some fine performances, gorgeous backdrops, and - did anyone notice? - the singer on the soundtrack is Marilyn Monroe. Peter Gallagher handsomely carries the lead, and Joseph Bologna gets another chance to show that he's one of our most underrated actors. Jill Eikenberry chills as the wife of tycoon Jason Robards, and her composure while some characters expire is right out of Stanwyck/Davis territory. But it's Rebecca De Mornay's show, and she's moving and poignant as well as sexy. Paxton Whitehead does his patented snob number, and Elaine Stritch gets a star turn that won her an Emmy. So why isn't this gem of a miniseries on DVD?

Masada (1981)

Brilliant! Why isn't this on DVD?

[10/10 · 29 March 2006]

Honor is due all around. First, credit must go to Joel Oliansky, who developed Gann's slender book into full-range drama with wit and wisdom. Boris Segal directs a huge cast so well, and so unobtrusively...You never wonder where you are, or which side you're listening to; there are so many characters that are memorable, even if they only have two lines...It's the best performance of Peter Strauss's career, and one of O'Toole's crown jewels. Jerry Goldsmith can furnish haunting melodies and epic marches. In short, nobody in this miniseries has fallen down on the job...

Except for ABC, who took more than a decade to get it out of the vault and onto videotape, and still hasn't gotten "Masada" put on DVD.

The strongest kind of drama is when you can sympathize with both sides; Silva has been saddled with irrational orders for a military conquest (sound familiar?) where none is possible - or even necessary. Eleazar knows only one thing for sure: "No man should be another man's slave." But Rome must prove a point. Rome cannot allow defiance to succeed; the Jewish zealots cannot submit to Roman enslavement. "You can take their victory from them." Mesmerizing...and well worth your time.

When the Whales Came (1989)

Glorious, Indeed...

[8/10 · 9 November 2005]

I've often thought the British TV audience is the most privileged on earth...they get programming that would make up most of our movie award season. We can take for granted a level of excellence of performance and execution that is unmatched anywhere.

When the Whales Came is a fable, certainly...but I think the message is that we need to care for the creatures of the earth, or we will be cursed for our cruelty and exploitation...The whales here are all creatures, and the curse is only lifted when humans do the right thing to protect them.

Here we have startlingly beautiful landscapes, ecstatic music, and people that are poor and struggling for survival...Indulgence in wonder at the natural world is considered eccentric and childish - until the old man and the children show the villagers the way. We might follow as well.

The Bounty (1984)

Unpopular Realism

[8/10 · 19 September 2005]

It's ironic that the truest version of this story was the least popular, but every historian I've read backs this one. We keep forgetting what a miserable life the common seaman had - or how smart the captains had to be. (See Master and Commander, for example.) Although I haven't seen the film in more than fifteen years, I'm still haunted by one scene: Captain Bligh has been put in the long boat with a few officers, to row for Africa. Mister Christian is staring down on them. Captain Bligh warns: "They mutinied once; they can do it again." And suddenly Christian is afraid... The discipline, though harsh, was necessary; most crewmen had no structure in their lives, and no capacity to see as far ahead as next week. Their officers had to, and they were trained harshly as well. Read the Hornblower series, for some first rate adventures of the times.

Performances on the Bounty were first rate, and this is one to see - especially if the MGM version is fresh in your mind. Never mind Brando and his antics in Tahiti...though Trevor Howard wasn't a bad Bligh, either. He just didn't have the script on his side.

Glory! Glory! (1989 TV Movie)

Frankly my dear, I loved it

[9/10 · 3 August 2005]

Televangelists are fair game, but the subject is seldom handled with as much wit or salty glee as it is here. Bobby Joe can't quite seem to get the hang of it, he doesn't have his Daddy's gift. But when he sees Ruth (Ellen Greene) singing in a bar - and moving the audience - he gets an idea: use her to sell Jesus! Ruth has her own ideas, including the ever-popular sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. What she doesn't expect is a genuine conversion...Or that her affairs will suddenly become public.

The cast is terrific, especially James Whitmore (who steals every scene he's in) with the exception of Ruth's lover, the newsman. It's a conventional role, but the actor doesn't bring much to it. In the minor role of Whitmore's henchman, Vincent, Mr. Buza is so good he deserves his own movie...

This is not for the soberly fundamentalist, but all the rest of you will have a good time.

Lady Chatterley (1993)

See it for the Bean

[8/10 · 22 May 2005]

Having read the book in high school, I thought I knew pretty much what I was in for, especially with Ken Russell at the helm. Joely Richardson is a pretty thing, and manages some sympathy for Connie - who just wants to be a decent human being. I was too often aware I was watching her Act, especially when naked. It couldn't have been easy. James Wilby had pretty much perfected the upper class twit, though the vitriolic nastiness he brings to Chatterley is probably the acme of his career. Special mention should be made of Shirley Anne Field's performance as Mrs. Bolton - the nurse who understands Everything - and conveys so much to us without a word. It's a truly marvelous performance.

But the movie belongs to Sean Bean, who gets his teeth in and doesn't let go. Nobody does bitter passion like Bean. He's less affecting in the love scenes than when he's simply trying to defend himself - His lady has no idea what a spectacular risk he's taking. Imagine the conflict is not class but race, and you'll get an idea. "Tar and feathers" was not a joke. The class divisions are laid out, but there's nothing like the sight of him shoveling coal to bring it home. And it's either break his back or starve. On top of all that, he found himself genuinely in love, which was still more frightening. Bean gives it all to us...His fears, his courage, his joys and his humiliations...no actor could be more naked than that.

There's a reason the book was called "Lady Chatterley's Lover." Lady Chatterley had Lawrence's sympathy, but the lover was his hero. Shifting the emphasis to her doesn't quite work. It would be more damaging if Bean wasn't so forceful.

I didn't expect to be so moved by this film. They even got the flower scene right. Lawrence's Mellors was a bit of a bully, too, and that left poor Connie choosing between jerks. Russell gives Connie -- and us -- a much better choice. And I was pleased with the altered ending. Lawrence's vision was awfully bleak, and had no room for Connie to grow up. It makes all the difference.

Essex Boys (2000)

If you liked "Blue Velvet"...

[5/10 · 9 May 2005]

I didn't really like this movie, but had to admit it was compelling. Sean Bean gives a performance as the evil drug thug that compares favorably (if that's the word I want) with Dennis Hopper's crazed bully in "Blue Velvet." It's outstanding work, but if you're a Sharpe fan (and who isn't?) it may be a bit jarring. I mean, this guy throws acid in faces, beats his wife, laughs at suffering, rapes a teenager and strangles her more or less accidentally. That's in addition to selling the drugs and other criminal activities.

Bean is, in fact, so good at being bad, he almost tips the movie over. Alex Kingston and Jim Wilkinson - versatile, dependable and often outstanding actors themselves, do what they can to take a scene away from him, and never quite manage. Charlie Creed-Miles, as the innocent who gets drawn into all this, is quite convincingly intimidated.

An icy jazz score and crisp direction keep the story moving along at a brisk pace. You may be repulsed, but you probably won't be bored.

A Man Called Peter (1955)

Why isn't this movie on DVD?

[8/10 · 19 February 2005]

You'd think 20th Century Fox would have better sense. In a time when Mel Gibson racks up $400 million for a Christian movie in Aramaic, this good film about a minister that they already own would be out on DVD in a double-disc set. The sermon scenes ("full of heart and fire" to quote a contemporary review) wouldn't offend Jon Stewart. Richard Todd earned an Oscar nomination for his warm portrayal of a beloved minister in Washington, DC. The VHS has been available for a long time, but this one really is too good to bury...

Peter Marshall was the Pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church during the forties. His sermons were so popular that they had to install loudspeakers to send them to the crowds waiting outside. He was chaplain of the US Senate. Marshall's rolling Scots burr and warm "friendship with God" are still appealing. His wife Catherine wrote the book on which the film is based, and several other books besides. Jean Peters gives an engaging performance as Catherine, making the film less a religious tract and more a portrait of a family you wish to know. It's a joy to spend time with these people. They are better ambassadors for Christianity than many you may have seen lately.

If there was someone at Fox with a marketing sense, they'd re-release this one with great fanfare - the timing couldn't be better.

Call Me Madam (1953)

Merriment, Grace and Pleasure

[9/10 · 2 May 2004]

It's easy to forget how many great musicals 20th Century Fox has put out, and how varied - from "My Fair Lady" to "the Commitments." One of their very best has just been re-released on DVD: "Call Me Madam"...

Once upon a time, boys and girls, they used to make movies that you were supposed to enjoy. They didn't thrill you, or scare you, or wow you with effects and disasters. They simply gave pleasure by having people sing amusing songs and dance with grace and lightness and ease. Here you have a chance to see the kind of singer - the incomparable Ethel Merman - who could fill a theater without using a microphone, and you could understand every word she sang. And you have a chance to see some of the greatest dancers Hollywood ever knew - Donald O'Connor and Vera Ellen - who advance the love story simply by dancing together. I gotta admit, O'Connor's got a gleam in his eye Astaire never had, and that dance in the wine cellar did more for my imagination than thrashing naked bodies ever did. And I roared every time Merman said "Hello, Harry!" And who knew George Sanders could sing?

This is not life-changing cinema...It's simply wonderful entertainment. And the more I see of today's offerings, the rarer that looks.

A Man Called Peter (1955)

A Christian both warm and reasonable

[8/10 · 7 March 2004]

Given the current evangelical climate in films, it's easy to forget this little treasure, just like it's easy to forget the republican party used to have a moderate wing.

Peter Marshall was an inclusive kind of Christian, a man whose faith was based on love rather than fear of hellfire. His wife Catherine wrote a warm biography, and 20th adapted it for the screen with a truly brilliant actor in the lead role: Richard Todd. Todd, famous mostly for a few wholesome Disney films (Robin Hood, Sword and the Rose) had the part of his career, and gave the performance of a lifetime. He was Peter Marshall, a Presbyterian minister of the New York Avenue church in Washington, DC during the forties. The heart of the film is the sermon scenes, and they are so good you may want to go to church again.

Why, oh why, hasn't 20th the brains to reissue this one on DVD? Especially now?

Galaxy Quest (1999)

Gene Roddenberry would have loved it

[8/10 · 16 October 2003]

Fresh, funny comedies are hard to make - that's why we see so few of them. "Galaxy Quest" is original, funny and exciting. Tim Allen leads an agreeable cast into first-rate satire of Star Trek (and its apparently eternal aftermath). Gene Roddenberry would have laughed his head off.

People Will Talk (1951)

Marvelous People, Splendid Talk

[9/10 · 2 October 2003]

How many movies had a score by Brahms? 'People Will Talk' features his Academic Festival Overture, which is the only example of cheerful grandeur I can think of in serious music. Mankewicz knew what he was doing, because this is a cheerfully grand movie. While his 'Letter to three wives' and 'All About Eve' are more famous, this one is my favorite.

For one thing, Cary Grant has never been more attractive, for Dr. Praetorious is a good and humane doctor. "I don't cure illness, I make sick people well." If the notion that a woman bearing a child out of wedlock is a disgrace has gone, the theme of the mediocre witch-hunting the brilliant is timeless.

The phrase 'beloved character actor' could have been invented for Finlay Currie, but you've got to be able to use it for Walter Slezak - at least in this movie. (See "Lifeboat")

If you spend two hours with these people, you'll hear some very splendid talk, and you'll feel both warmed and civilized. How many of today's movies do that?

Enchanted April (1991)

Few Films Have This Magic

[10/10 · 12 September 2003]

"Magic" isn't too strong a word for the spell this film weaves. You find yourself relaxing, and seeing others in a more benevolent light... Any movie that has that civilizing an effect on viewers deserves serious attention. Seldom are we soaked in beauty like this. As if that weren't enough, it's funny. Performances are, without exception, extraordinary, but special mention must be made of the miraculous Miranda Richardson, and the superb Josie Walker - both open like roses.

Why ISN'T this film on DVD? It deserves to live forever.

If a Man Answers (1962)

Delicious

[12 September 2003]

This film, adapted from Winifred Wolfe's novel, has its moments and most of them are given to us by a very rare character in fifties comedies: an irresistibly attractive woman in her forties. Micheline Presle plays Sandra Dee's mother, and the dispenser of some delicious advice: Treat your husband like a dog. Sandy's taken aback, like everyone else, until Mother points out that dogs are treated with affection and respect - husbands often get neither. And then wives are surprised when they don't come home.

Oh, there are other pleasures - Dee and Darin are agreeable, and Stefanie Powers gets to be the bitchy girl friend. But Presle is such a joy, she's worth the price of a ticket.

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! (1965)

Have the Saudis bought all the copies?

[7/10 · 2 September 2003]

I can't find this movie anywhere. I know that Notre Dame objected to it - they delayed its release with a lawsuit that was eventually dismissed. But it has disappeared altogether... Did the sensitive Saudis buy 'em all up?

Shogun (1980 TV Movie)

Buyer Beware: Either 10 Hours or Nothing

[20 July 2003]

Incomprehensibly, they tried to sell a two-hour version of the 10-hour miniseries, and it's junk. Why anybody went through this (and I pity the poor editor who had an impossible job) is beyond me, except that there must have been a greedy executive somewhere who thought there was money to be made. Skip the 2-hour version, and dive in to another world, another time.

The full-length version of the miniseries is now available on DVD, and it's the best way to see it. There's a first-rate adaptation of Clavell's novel, crisp direction and sterling performances by Richard Chamberlain, Yoko Shimada and Toshiro Mifune. Outstanding support by John Rhys Davies, Damien Thomas and Alan Badel, as well as a host of Japanese actors keeps the atmosphere rich and the action strong. The adventures of an English Pilot (Chief navigator) in 1600 in Japan - the height of the samurai power - are riveting. Blackthorne (Chamberlain) lands in the midst of the mighty struggle for Shogun: military dictator of the country that's had 600 years of civil war. Unlike many another action tale, an educated woman has a pivotal role.

Or read the book. In the words of one reviewer, "It simply will not let the reader go."

Home Before Dark (1958)

Sometimes it's not paranoia

[20 July 2003]

Charlotte (Jean Simmons) comes home from a mental hospital, shaky but game. She's been cured of all her delusions - that her husband and stepsister are having an affair, and conspiring behind her back. Except that her husband (Dan O'Herlihy) really does crave her stepsister (Rhonda Fleming) and they do talk about her in whispered tones. Even their new lodger (Efrem Zimbalist) can see it. But they deny it and she tries to deny it some more, to keep peace in the family. Finally, she can't. Is she having a breakdown or a breakout?

Admittedly, it is slow - the direction is cumbersome. But occasionally, it nails Eileen Bassing's novel with its stifling New England academic atmosphere and the rigidity of its codes. Jean Simmons was nominated for Best Actress in this role, and small wonder; it's one of her best this side of Elmer Gantry. Steve Dunne has an engaging appearance, and it's Rhonda Fleming who gets to be unsympathetic for a change.

If I could find the video, I'd buy it. But it's not for teenaged boys.