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Lady of Burlesque (1943)
She wasn't allowed the full Monty
Couple of things to remember when you're waiting for something to happen (and it does take about thirty minutes for things to get interesting). *This has plenty of skimpy costumes and leg shots for the boys in the war effort. The ladies didn't have to do much to be welcome on a screen for soldiers and Stanwyck's Edith Head hose went as high as they dared. *There's a nostalgia effort going on here - it was 20 years since the best of vaudeville in 1943 and something American culture does brilliantly is look back in twenty year spans. The 40s came into vogue in the 60s and also, briefly, the 20s fashions again. In the 70s, we looked back at the 50s and so on, so some of this was meant to try and capture burlesque, vaudeville's seedier, coarser cousin. *Stanwyck was looking to take on challenging roles that others would turn down. She had also finished two serious roles and wanted something more fun - the chance to dance and sing. She researched and learned some bumps and grinds that were filmed, but when studio heads and the Hays office saw the rushes of her and the COuntess doing them, they were cut. We get the reaction shots instead. Those bumps and grinds would make for very interesting DVD extras. *Stany sang with her own voice in this one - very low and throaty - and they try like mad to make the song a hit by doing two or three reprises. It's somewhat catchy but what person of morals would buy sheet music to a stripper song? Where would you sing it?! *Michael O'Shea, the love interest, really did start in Vaudeville, and this was his big chance (Stany was a hoofer/chorine on Broadway till a featured role in Burlesque(1926) sent her on her way). This was his big year, with Jack London and The Eve of St. Mark also released. He didn't have a strong enough film presence to sustain a career but he's likable enough and had several good supporting roles and a hit 50s TV show, although his role here required him to spit out groaner after groaner. Real Brulesque was full of double entendres and crappy jokes, spun out one after the other; if one was bad, another came along to take your mind off it. There are other Vaudeville/Burlesque stars tucked here and there, notably Pinky Lee (Oh ya make me so mad) but the girls were mostly starlets. I do love Stany, and once Charles Dingle steps in as the Inspector, the mystery and snappy one liners take hold. However, this is one dated film, maybe from the War audience and nostalgia aspects, the ill suited songs or a script that doesn't find its footing until we wonder why we're watching. A lesser actress might've been hurt, but half a year later, she was shooting Double Indemnity with Billy Wilder, no worse for wear.
Wicked, Wicked (1973)
a gimmick with a cheap backbone
Not a bad concept but the movie gives away the mystery of the killer way too soon. It has short tugs of predictable suspense, although it was watchable. The most engaging moments are when one side of the screen tells the true story behind the words of those on the other side, sometimes humorously. More of that might have made this a cult hit but it takes itself a bit too seriously. When the two shots do work for suspense, it is undercut by an organ score taken directly from the silent Phantom of the Opera. It reminded me of those 70s Vincent Price movies like Theater of Blood that assumed the audience was better knowing more.
It IS a testimony to 1973 fashions and hairstyles. Tiffany Bolling was actually very good, appearing in scores of good TV series and movies before and after. I suspect she was one of the talented, beautiful women who just never found the big break. She certainly was a bright spot (along with Madeline Sherwood in a juicy supporting role). Randolph Roberts did what he could for his role, a star turn in a bigger budget feature and you can see him working at it. He needed another few roles to solidify and make a name for himself but sadly found bigger fame as Ritchie's original brother Chuck Cunningham, banished to college, in the first few Happy Days TV series.
Also, the title song, performed by Miss Bolling (Wicked, Wicked), sounds like it was written years earlier and even then, it wouldn't have been a hit. The women's lib oriented song 'Be Myself' was also out of place, but Bolling was belting away, bless her. The Hotel Del Coronado looked fantastic all the way through. It was a great backdrop and was only used as well in Somewhere in Time. The film suggests that there are hidden rooms and floors to the Coronado and I'd love that to be true. Be forewarned - there is a scene of child molestation tucked away in there.
Pot Luck (1937)
A Gem of A Short
There's no real spoiler here because there's nothing to spoil in this simple entertaining short but details follow. Sometimes smaller studios would rent out their sets to independents for one reelers for a weekend or before being scrapped. I don't know what set this was originally but it was obviously from a more expensive production. This was produced back in 1937-Depression Era when the "Tax man" was evidently asking for net worth of a home's property in order to be properly taxed. This particular story involves a businessman who is crying poor to two tax men, hiding his possessions in the garage in hopes of saving his bank account and home. However, his three daughters (seemingly unrelated and of ages 3-24) discover the furniture and silver and decide to fix the house up as grand as possible when the toddler daughter takes a phone call from Daddy that says 'the state men are coming' but conveys that 'Statesmen' are coming. (She's barely able to complete a scene without running to her Mother, arms outstretched at one point, just off camera). When Dad walks thru the door, he is greeted by four butlers, five maids, his daughters in gowns and an elaborate meal on a linen covered walnut table. (One of the tax men lifts the cloth and taps it, emphasizing "Solid Walnut" and winking at his partner with a leer - pretty random and a little creepy but whatever). All Dad can do is groan as the toddler spouts off about how much money he's worth and his other two daughters do a tap dance (on a tap floor laid out in the music room adjoining the dining room, of course) and sing a decent rendition of 'Boom Chicka Boom'. 3 of 4 butlers turn out to be a dancing trio called the Three Rhythm Boys, the middle of which can't seem to stop staring at the floor as they tap away in their olde English butler's costumes. Perhaps he was the slow brother the others had to drag along, but all were eminently draftable. To round out the confusion, dancing partners, credited as "Stanley and Elaine",materialize for two staged dances, done quite well. They didn't get to eat and didn't have any other purpose in the film so perhaps they just loved performing (in front of cameras). There is no real ending, other than the no good "tax men" starting a stroll thru the house with pencil and paper to write down everything for repossession as the semi-adorable blond tattletale Jeanie admonishes papa. Personally, I hope he sold her to pay the lien and get some piece and quiet. There are five complete acts crammed into this Educational Films short filler and that's what it is, entertaining. I own it on 16mm - good luck finding it elsewhere.
Some of My Best Friends (2001)
It deserved a chance to grow
I've seen seven of eight of the filmed episodes and found that I wasn't laughing as much as I did with the Pilot. I think I found it a bit offensive to stereotype when it first came out but now that Bateman, Mapa and Nucci are all in other things, it's fascinating to watch them hone their skills. Bateman does his self-discovery/I thought I was smarter than this thing which is present in almost every episode of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT(and I think he's much cuter as he gets older); Alex Mapa is working hard at one liners but is funnier in his moments in character, looking at Frankie for the first time or climbing in the window with a smile and a quip; Danny Nucci is about to be big in the WORLD TRADE CENTER movie but here, he's a Guido - a good looking Italian young man, still a little too green around the ears for his own good but likable (and he plays well off of Bateman). The situations were more than a bit sitcom, but the surrounding cast were just starting to be interesting when it ended. There's not a lot you can do in 22 minutes but they managed quite a bit. If it comes out on DVD, rent it, or see it on LOGO.
Some of My Best Friends: Pilot (2001)
Bateman, Nucci and Mapa - all stars
Actually, I voted an 8 because of the cast. Jason Bateman, honing his dry wit years before his brilliant Arrested Development - ALex Mapa, a FUNNY gay comic who is just now finding his own specials on TV - Danny Nucci , who finally found a big role in the upcoming movie World Trade Center...and who knew Peter DeLuise had a cute brother? The rest of the cast is rounded with character actors who were just finding their great episodes as the season was canceled. Nucci was just relaxing a bit and his timing getting better (instad of just waiting for the laugh and freezing)and Bateman does here what he does best - self-realization. What he discovers is all over his role in Arrested Development and it starts with this series.
Seven episodes have run on LOGO in 2006 but the final one is MIA. Yes, it can be hackneyed and predictable, but the one liners that land are laugh out loud funny. As the season went on, the writers couldn't keep up the pace.
I'm grateful to have seen it tho - it's a milestone as a sitcom with a sane gay character and I'm still entertained when I go back and watch it on VHS. It needs a DVD!! And with Bateman and Nucci getting hotter, isn't now that time?!
Mike Makes His Mark (1955)
Mockery makes this classroom classic a party must
Another classic about the joys of underachieving from the National Educational Association - no cast listing, but what a tale. If you allow yourself to make snide comments about the acting, scenario and what seem like blatant homosexual overtures, this was pretty hilarious. Mike's good natured but clearly backwards family is an embarrassment to him and that's before the titles. We watch a barely pubescent Mike struggle thru the 8th grade in 1955 with reading problems,joyously mussing other boys' hair, dragging his heels to the newly built school in his leather jacket. However, teachers at the school don't seem to care about Mike or any student when they get together to discuss "problems". They start talking about how to be better teachers (me me me me ME)but the conversation quickly rallies round the learning disabled(Mike), mostly because the script is structured to show concern. The school counselor, a good looking actor with a fierce widow's peak, stares a little too long at Mike for everyone's good (by today's standards) and he seems content to steer Mike into a tympani position in the orchestra and a career in electronics, as opposed to something that might need him to read. (Settle, Mike - why strive in '55?) Mike lands a job sweeping up the local radio/electronics store and his boss bats him aside when he can't figure out how to test radio tubes. The hilarity continues when Mike follows his "cool" friend to his ditch digging job and refers to the great times when he'll quit school and have a car just like his friend. They make no bones when Mike hangs around a bit too much at the pool hall with his "friends". Will Mike make the right decision and stay in school? The end leaves you thinking Mike might, for at least a semester, but with no clear plans for the future aside from playing tympani(his family is thrilled he can beat a drum in time - Yay for underachieving,Mike!). It's 50s propaganda and thus, easily mockable. Make this a fun party film and tell the guests to make the funniest comments they can... or... you put away the food and drink. It's that simple.
Small Fry (1939)
Previous comment has this mixed up with something else...
This Fleischer cartoon is infamous for it's unusual fish freak out scene. A small fry fish, still in 'school', wants to smoke and be one of the big boys. He sneaks away after Momma catfish puts him in his room to study and winds up at the 'pool' hall, where all sorts of different kinds of larger fish smoke and shoot pool. They decide to induct him into the fish union and slip him a mickey before pushing him into a dark cave where he hallucinates as he bumps into all sorts of fish eating images. He runs home to momma and is happy at school thereafter. A simple enough storyline but the animation is cherce. A+++ M:
To Spring (1936)
Fabulous use of color in this animated gem...
A lovely example of how to weave animation magic. Gnomes wake up at the end of Winter and must mine the earth and pump the color above ground. If you see a decent print of this, the color scheme and animation make up for the fairly weak story. A++