A nice start for the Stooges at Columbia, 1 November 2007
Woman Haters is far from the best of the Three Stooges, but it is a nice start to the Columbia shorts and does offer a unique and interesting thing or two. The plot sees the boys joining the Woman Haters Club – a club that prohibits its members from carrying on with women. But no sooner than they become members, Larry (they actually have character names, but they don't really matter) finds himself at the altar. He does his best to keep Moe and Curly from finding out he's secretly gotten married and he does his best to keep his new wife from finding out about the Woman Haters club. As expected, a great deal of eye poking and head knocking ensues.
The two best things Woman Haters has going for it (beyond its curiosity value) is the rhyming scheme of the dialogue and Marjorie White as Larry's wife. While I've seen some complaints about the rhyming dialogue, it worked for me. I thought it was very clever. Now, it might not have worked for a full feature, but for a two-reeler, it's okay. As for Marjorie White, she more than capable of holding her own with Moe, Larry, and Curly – more so than most women I can think of off the top of my head who appeared in other Three Stooges shorts. It's too bad she didn't live long enough to see where her career might have taken her.
6/10
"Murder not very good joke - quite unfunny.", 23 June 2006
I've been a Charlie Chan fan since the early 70s when, as a 9 year old, I can remember watching the movies on the Late Show. While I can find something to enjoy in every one of these films, Charlie Chan in London is one of my favorites of the series. In this one, Chan is in a race against time as he's only got three days to save the life of a man wrongly accused of murder. It's got everything a Chan fan could ask for – an interesting mystery, a boatload of suspects, actually good comic relief, nice production values, and, of course, Warner Oland. By the time Charlie Chan in London was made, Oland seems to have hit his stride playing the title role. He's confident, polite, and brilliant – all the personality traits I've always associated with Chan. The supporting cast is as good in this one as you'll find in any of the Chan films. Ray Milland may be the most recognizable name, but it's the performances of Alan Mowbray and the incredible, scene-stealing E.E. Clive that really standout. The mystery at the center of the plot is well thought and the clues lead to a logical conclusion. Charlie Chan in London is a good one to play along with. It doesn't "cheat" as much with the reveal as some of the other Chan films.
8/10
"Now a Manhattan you always shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time.", 18 December 2005
With The Thin Man, William Powell and Myrna Loy created what may be the perfect on-screen couple – Nick and Nora Charles. The two work flawlessly with one another. Their witty quips and playful banter seem so natural. I know that real people don't exactly talk like they do, but it just seems so effortless. Nick and Nora have style to burn. Just watch Nora glide from her bedroom to the front door in her flowing silk nightgown and you'll see what I mean. Their alcohol consumption may be a bit overdone, but it fits their characters. These people can do more after drinking a bottle of gin than most can do completely sober. The plot to The Thin Man hardly matters. These two could make reading the phone book an enjoyable experience. To sum up my ramblings, I love watching Powell and Loy as Nick and Nora.
But of course The Thin Man does have a plot – a murder that Nick wants no part of is literally thrust upon him. Even Nora wants to see him solve the case and, naturally, offers her assistance. There are plenty of suspects – the dead woman's employer/lover, his kids, his ex-wife, her lover, and a who's who of shady types. In mystery novel drawing room style, Nick gathers everyone together for the big reveal.
9/10
"It all sounds like a lot of superstitious baloney to me.", 4 February 2005
The Black Cat is, quite simply, a horror masterpiece. Almost everything about this film is perfect. I'm not going to go into detail on the story, because if you haven't seen it, you should.
The acting is some of the best you'll ever see in a horror film. Lugosi is at the top of his game. His portrayal of Ygor in Son of Frankenstein may be Lugosi's only better performance. Karloff is wonderfully creepy and mysterious (and has some of the most bizarre hair I've ever seen). Seeing the two work together in The Black Cat is a real pleasure. Although Karloff gets top billing, this is Lugosi's film and he makes the most of it. David Manners and the rest of the cast are more than adequate.
The futuristic house in which the film is set is a departure from the more Gothic, Victorian settings of most of the Universal films. And it works. Thanks to some terrific set design, lighting, and cinematography, the modern house exudes as much atmosphere as any old castle, dungeon, tower, etc.
The Black Cat contains some of the most unsettling scenes of any classic Universal horror film. It is, IMO, the darkest of any of these films. I just wonder how it was viewed by audiences in 1934. Two scenes that immediately come to mind are the black mass performed by Karloff and the torture scene at the end of the film. These scenes are not typical of the Universal classics. They have the power to stick with you long after the movie is over.
But what I really like is the way the story unfolds. At the beginning, you know nothing of what's really going on. Bit by bit, the story unfolds. Many of the plot points are revealed by Lugosi. In fact, if it weren't for Lugosi's monologues, I wonder if anyone would have any idea of what was taking place.
10/10
