Murder on Monday (1952)

A delightful little film, 19 December 2020

David Preston (Ralph Richardson) arrives home from work on Monday night just as he always does - or so he thinks.  He’s shaken when he learns that it’s really Tuesday night and he cannot account for the last 24 hours.  He’s doubly troubled to learn that a man he didn’t care for was murdered and a witness swears that Preston was the last person seen talking to the man.  Can Preston rediscover the lost day and clear his name?

Overall, Murder on Monday (or Home at Seven) is a delightful little film.  I enjoyed almost every second.  There are two things I can point to that make this film stand out - the acting and the writing.  Richardson is perfect as the man trying to discover what’s happened to him.  You can see the confusion etched across his face.  He’s joined by the lovely Margaret Leighton as his wife, Janet.  I can’t explain how much I enjoyed her performance.  From the fretting over her husband to the joy she expresses when there appears to be some good news, she’s divine.  Together, the pair make the perfect on-screen couple.  The scene where Preston, over tea and toast, tries to tell Janet how to carry on if something should happen to him is a great example of their on-screen chemistry.  They are ably joined by Jack Hawkins, Campbell Singer, and Meriel Forbes in supporting roles.  As for the writing, well, I’ve already used this word, but Anatole de Grumwald’s screenplay is simply delightful.  The story was intriguing and suspenseful enough that it held my attention throughout.  The little pieces of the mystery that point to Preston’s guilt unfold nicely.  And the solution to the mystery wasn’t so far-fetched that I couldn’t buy into it.  It’s a solid piece of writing.  

Not only did he star, but this the sole directing credit from Richardson’s long career.  I'm really shocked because I thought he did a fantastic job.  Murder on Monday could easily feel “stagey”, but Richardson kept things moving at a nice pace.  I never once got that claustrophobic feeling you can get from such a small set.  And the movie looks amazing.  I was so impressed with little things like some of the shots through windows out to the street.  Nice stuff. 

 

8/10

The Black Doll (1938)

Ruined by the comedy, 19 December 2020

When Nelson Rood (C Henry Gordon) finds a black doll on his desk, he knows it can mean only one thing - his death.  Sure enough, later that night, Rood is killed by a knife to the back.  Rood was never the kindest man in the world, so he had his fair share of enemies.  Rood’s daughter’s boyfriend, Nick Halstead (Donald Woods), fancies himself an amateur detective and sets out to investigate.  But Halstead will have to stay out of the way of the local bumbling sheriff if he’s to find a killer.

Based on the IMDb rating (5.9) and all the positive reviews, I know The Black Doll has some fans.  I’m, however, not among them.  While I enjoyed some  of the mystery elements of the story and a character or two, I had a couple of big problems with the film that kept me from enjoying it.  First, as my little intro suggests, boyfriend Halstead does most of the real detective work.  And by that I mean he makes a series of wild guesses generally based on very little real evidence, yet somehow he’s miraculously correct 100% of the time. I like the solutions to my mysteries to be more fact-based.  Second, bumbling Sheriff Renick (Edgar Kennedy) is more than I can take.  He’s just not funny.  His brand of comedy, including a pocket full of pipes he continuously smokes and then breaks, doesn’t appeal to me at all.  Sadly, Kennedy ruined any hope of me finding much entertainment in The Black Doll.  

 

3/10

Appointment in Honduras (1953)

Underwhelming jungle adventure, 19 December 2020

Jim Corbett (Glenn Ford) frees four prisoners to help him navigate the Honduran jungle. He’s looking for a band of rebels he intends to help.  To be successful and stay alive, Corbett and Co face a number of obstacles, including: pumas, piranhas, soldiers, insects, and each other.  

I know it was a mistake to do so, but I was so hoping Appointment in Honduras would be as entertaining as the similarly named Affair in Trinidad - also with Glenn Ford.  I know that film has its detractors, but I always find it so much fun.  Unfortunately, the similarity in names is where the comparison of these films ends.  Overall, I found this one an underwhelming, fairly dull trudge to get through.  Scene after scene of Corbett hitting the jungle growth with a machete or yelling at the other members of his party got old pretty quickly.  It didn’t take long for me to stop caring about which characters were killed and which survived.  The final gun battle wasn’t as entertaining as it should have been.  The way it was filmed, it was difficult to determine character positioning in relation to each other.  Very substandard directing and editing as far as I’m concerned.  Finally on my list of complaints, there’s Ann Sheridan.  Annoyed doesn’t begin to describe my feelings toward her and her character.  I know she was meant to play the Rita Hayworth role (same red hair and all) opposite Glenn Ford that had been so successful before (see the previously mentioned Affair in Trinidad for example), but she’s a poor imitation.

One interesting thing for me at least was the presence of a very young Jack Elam.  He doesn’t do much, but it was pretty cool all the same.

 

4/10

Treasure Hunt (1952)

I hate to use the word “dated”, but it fits here, 18 December 2020

Instead of coming up with my own, I’m just going to rely in part on the plot summary from IMDb:  “Short of money, the owners of Ballyroden Hall must attempt to run it as a guest house, but not everyone is happy about the plan.”  In fact, some members of the household actively attempt to sabotage the effort to raise money as the first paying guests arrive.

I don’t know what I was expecting from Treasure Hunt, but this wasn’t it.  I really hate to use this term when describing a film, but Treasure Hunt is horribly “dated”.  Maybe this kind of comedy worked in the UK in 1952, but it doesn’t do much for me – and I’m a fan of older movies.  Most of the supposed humor comes from the eccentric nature of Ballyroden’s inhabitants  In the case of Treasure Hunt, however, eccentricity is taken too far and becomes uber-annoying.  I admit that I found Aunt Anna Rose, as played by Martita Hunt, mildly amusing from time-to-time, but it was near enough to make up for the rest of the casts’ antics.  I was at least hoping the titular Treasure Hunt might provide some entertainment.  However, it doesn’t occur until there are only 4 or so minutes left in the film.  Overall, not a very enjoyable experience. 

 

3/10

The Bravados (1958)

An extremely well-made, entertaining film, 17 December 2020

After his wife is raped and killed, rancher Jim Douglas (Gregory Peck) sets out to get revenge.  He tracks four men for six months, only to find them locked in a small jail waiting to be hanged for other crimes.  But when they escape, Douglas is determined to see justice done.  But at what price?  And does Douglas have the right to be judge, jury, and executioner? 

If you look at my movie history, you’ll quickly see that I’m not much of a fan of Hollywood-style Westerns.  I may have to rethink that stance after watching The Bravados.  I thoroughly enjoyed this film.  From the revenge angle to the unexpected brutality to the religious questions raised to the twist at the end, Philip Yordan’s screenplay is fantastic.  I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a story more.  In addition, Henry King’s direction is on-point.  The film has a nice pace to it.  And King does a masterful job of building-up the moral dilemma faced by Douglas.  Well done.  Special mention must go to cinematographer Leon Shamroy.  The Bravados looks stunning.  Almost every frame is a work of art. 

The acting in The Bravados is incredible.  I was so impressed and moved with Gregory Peck’s amazingly layered performance.  It might be the best acting I’ve ever seen from him.  That final scene where he realizes what’s going on – brilliant.  The actors playing the four hoodlums are almost as good.  Stephen Boyd, Albert Salmi, Lee Van Cleef, and Henry Silva are all fantastic.  I was especially impressed with Silva as his character has a bit more depth than the others.  Next, there’s Joan Collins.  While her appearance here is really just a plot convenience and her acting isn’t on par with some of the others, I still enjoyed seeing her.  But who am I kidding - I always love watching Joan Collins.  The weakest performance had to come from Andrew Duggan as the priest.  In all honesty, though, he really isn’t as bad as he is miscast. 

Finally, I’ve read some of the problems other people have with the film.  I agree, there are logical inconsistencies for sure – like the way Joan Collins’ character is able to reach Douglas’ ranch in an afternoon, while it seems to take him several days to make the trip.  Then there’s that TARDIS-like church – unpretentious on the outside, but absolutely huge on the inside.  And there’s also my usual problem with Westerns from this era – everything and everyone is too clean and too freshly pressed.  But really, who cares when a film is this good, entertaining, and thought provoking.

 

9/10

Killer Fish (1979)

Pretty much what you’d expect from an Italian/French/Brazilian co-production with piranhas, 16 December 2020

A band of thieves hide a fortune in stolen jewels at the bottom of a lake.  Before the jewels can be retrieved, however, piranha are released into the water, setting the stage for much blood-letting and other carnage. 

I admit that the 6/10 rating I’ve given Killer Fish is probably overstating things for most people, but I always have so much fun watching it that I can’t possibly rate it any lower.  A lot of it is good in that cheesy sort of way, but for whatever reason, I find Killer Fish entertaining.  I think what I like most is the sheer absurdity of it all - especially the final fight for survival.  The escape raft idea is simply jaw-dropping in its level of ridiculousness.  Some really good stuff in the final few scenes! 

Another big plus for me was the direction.  Veteran genre director Antonio Margheriti keeps things moving at a nice pace. In my opinion, this thing could have gotten boring real quick had it not been for Margheriti.

Last, the acting – what a mixed bag.  I really enjoy watching Karen Black, Maris Berenson, and, especially, James Franciscus.  Franciscus seemed to be having as much fun making Killer Fish as I do watching it.  As for Lee Majors, “wooden” doesn’t begin to describe his performance.  And then there’s Margaux Hemingway.  “Disaster” just scratches the surface of what I think about her in this film.  Finally, I’ve seen this film twice now, but just realized, as I was scrolling through the credits on IMDb, that former Houston Oiler quarterback Dan Pastorini is in the film.  I haven’t thought about him in years.

 

6/10

The Avengers “Death at Bargain Prices” #4.4 (1966) (TV)

“And Mr Massey, your carnation is crooked.  Kindly adjust it.”  15 December 2020

When a colleague is found murdered, the only clue is a sales receipt from a nearby department store.  Mrs Peel goes undercover and finds things aren’t as they should be.  It seems that none of the staff has the slightest clue on how to run a retail establishment.  What are they up to?

Death at Bargain Prices is another fun episode that gives Steed and Mrs Peel plenty of opportunity to do what they do best – investigate an unusual case and engage in (often innuendo-filled) banter.  As for the investigation, the case here is relatively interesting.  On the first time through the episode, I honestly had no idea what the baddies were up to with lots of mysterious goings on in the middle of the night.  The end is a bit contrived, but aren’t most episodes of The Avengers.  And the department store provides for a number of unusual situations and settings.  I loved the scene where the bad guys hold a secret rendezvous amongst the bamboo in the camping section. 

 As for the banter, Death at Bargain Prices includes one of my favorite bits of dialogue from any episode.  Steed:  “I asked the chief predator where to find you and he said, ‘Our Mrs Peel is in ladies underwear.’  I rattled up the stairs three at a time.”  Good stuff.

The episode also benefits from having a strong supporting cast, including: Andre Morell, Allen Cuthbertson, and John Carter. 

 

7/10

Escape in the Fog (1945)

The ESP angle isn’t the most unbelievable facet of this movie, 14 December 2020

A woman, Eileen Carr (Nina Foch), has a nightmare where she witnesses a man being beaten on a bridge.  She wakes from her sleep to find the man, whom she’s never met, in her room.  Is her dream a premonition of things to come?

While there were bits and pieces of Escape in the Fog that I enjoyed, overall the film just didn’t work for me.  My main issues with the film center on two things – actor William Wright and his character Barry Malcolm.  Wright was too bland for my liking.  At no time while watching the movie did he come across to me as the hero / leading man type.  The fact that this guy could get a woman to run off with him to San Francisco after knowing each other for a few hours was more unbelievable than the movie’s ESP hokum.  As for Barry Malcolm, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more stupid, careless secret agent in a film.  For example, Malcolm too easily trusts this woman he’s just met with top secret government information.  How does he know she’s not a foreign agent?  Another example, he receives some important information on a slip of paper.   Does he destroy the paper after reading it?  No.  Of course the baddies get hold of it and know exactly what he’s up to.  Just two examples, but you get the idea.  Some of the other characters do some pretty dumb stuff, but Malcolm’s idiocy really took me out of the movie.

Finally, what’s with that dime store badge Malcolm carried?  All he had to do was flash that cheap looking thing and anyone in authority immediately did what he asked.  I’m not sure why the bad guys wanted the papers he was carrying – why not go after that all powerful badge?

 

4/10

Fourteen Hours (1951)

“I don’t mind losing you, but I don’t want a whole daisy chain of cops sailing out that window.”  14 December 2020

A normal beat cop, Officer Charles Dunnigan (Paul Douglas), is tasked with talking a would-be jumper off a ledge fifteen floors above the New York streets. 

Overall, Fourteen Hours is an entertaining film with plenty of drama and tension.  There are a couple of things that made the movie stand out to me.  First, I was incredibly impressed with the way the film was put together by director Henry Hathaway.  Fourteen Hours featured far more action than I expected from a film set on a 2’X4’ ledge.  All of the comings and goings in the hotel room attached to the ledge and everything going on on the street below help keep things interesting and moving.  It’s an amazing amount of activity for a little piece of concrete.  And I was equally impressed with some of the camera work.  There were moments filmed from the ledge looking down to the street below that made me feel as if I were there.  My vertigo actually kicked in.    

Second, the acting is superb.  Paul Douglas, in particular, is excellent.  He’s so believable trying to talk the man off the ledge, all the while conveying the fact that he has no idea what he’s doing.  And you can see the real care in his voice and face as each new idea is brought forward.  Really strong piece of acting.  The rest of the cast is just as good, including: Richard Basehart as the confused man on the ledge and Agnes Moorehead as the overwrought mother.  I also enjoyed spotting a few uncredited faces in the cast, like Russell Hicks, Harvey Lembeck, and Ossie Davis (especially proud of myself for this one).   

Fourteen Hours is also known for being Grace Kelly’s first film role.  She’s fine and all, but her storyline could have been cut without harming the film at all.  That extra five minutes weren’t really necessary.  I won’t say the same about the subplot featuring Jeffery Hunter and Debra Paget.  Their “cute” little story made for a nice contrast to the drama on the ledge.

 

7/10