The Public Enemy - 1931 (Day 37)

My Take:

I would put The Public Enemy at the top of the classic gangster films.

Former Chicago pharmacist Kubec Glasmon turned screenwriter penned this gem about the rise and fall of gangster Tom Powers (Cagney). Glasmon intertwined stories from real-life Don, Charles Dion O’Bannion, giving it more realism at the time. What I found interesting is that 1931 was the last successful year Hollywood profited off the last classic gangster genre, because as Al Capone had been locked up earlier in the year, America was shying away from the gangster life. 

What I Liked:

It was a solid story and great direction. Good old-fashioned gangster story, you can never go wrong with that.

What I Didn't Like:

I wanted more of Jean Harlow and Joan Blondell.

What I Learned:

The scene where the horse throws and kills his gangster owner and Cagney kills the horse as retaliation... is based on true-life events.

The Life of the Party - 1930 (Day 36)

My Take:

The Gold Dust twins con men out of their money in Havana. 

After the success of The Gold Diggers on Broadway, Warner Brothers decided to assemble some of the same cast and crew for this female led comedy. The film was originally shot with musical numbers throughout, but there was a decline in musicals in the late twenties, so it was recut and only a few numbers appear.

What I Liked:

Charles Judels as Mons. LeMaire was brilliant… busting up every set he walks into.

What I Didn't Like:

I didn't see the appeal in Winnie Lightner, she did remind me of an unfunny Melissa McCarthy.

What I Learned:

How cool an opening sequence can be if you just let it play out.

Now, Voyager - 1942 (Day 35)

My Take:

Boring! I fell asleep twice through this one. Bette Davis as an ugly duckling, traveling the world, propped up by a lot of dialogue in soap opera digs. The acting was good, but again, boring.

What I Liked:

Davis’ unibrow early on in the film

What I Didn't Like:

Most of the film

What I Learned:

Composer Max Steiner did win an Oscar for best score.

His Girl Friday -1940 (Day 34)

My Take:

Brilliant film, top to bottom. Rosalind Russell should have had top billing. The chemistry between Russell and Grant was solid and genuine. The film moves!

What I Liked:

Walter Burns (Grant) urging Louie to follow and sidetrack Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), tells Louie that “He looks like that Ralph Bellamy character.”

What I Didn't Like:

I preferred the scenes with Russell… sans Grant. Before I watched, I thought it would have been the other way around.

What I Learned:

This film has been in public domain since 1968. Everyone gets a piece of it. 

The Chief - 1933 (Day 33)

My Take:

Slapstick and dumbed down comedy from Ed Wynn’s “The Perfect Fool” radio character.

I have never heard of Ed Wynn before, so I was curious as to how this comedy would hold up in the era of Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, etc.

The humor was very different from the aforementioned comedians; it’s very similar to what’s playing in the theaters today… character wise. You can see where Zach Galifianakis, Elijah Wood and Paul Rudd get their influences.

What I Liked:

I enjoyed the humor; it was ahead of its time

What I Didn't Like:

The inconsistency of going behind the scenes of the radio show throughout the film

What I Learned:

One of Mickey Rooney’s first feature films… watch for him throwing a firecracker at The Perfect Fool.

Prestige - 1932 (Day 32)

My Take:

Bizarre. Brilliant. Harrowing.

The premise is intriguing; wife travels to penal colony to find her husband’s gone insane after spending a year in the jungle. Great performances, tough to watch at times. The film is aptly named for the prevailing attitude of the elite and what they stand to lose if they don't assert their power.

What stands out about this film is the motion of the camera. It’s as though an early Scorsese is behind the camera and not director Tay Garnett. It’s too bad stabilization wasn't available back then because most of the moves in this film are pretty cool, only marred by the jankiness of the camera.

What I Liked:

Ann Harding was great.

What I Didn't Like:

The narrative was a racist mess.

What I Learned:

There are some places you can never escape.

Hot Saturday - 1932 (Day 31)

My Take:

Have you ever wanted to see Cary Grant in one of his very first films? If so, this is the one for you, it’s amazing how young he looks and what a great actor he was as a novice.

The theme of this film is loose lips sink ships. Nancy Carroll (Ruth) plays a very naïve and cute bank teller in a small town. She’s out on a date with Conny and as he tries to force himself on her, she flees, so Conny spreads vicious rumors all over town.

Cary Grant plays Romer Sheffield, the local playboy who comes to the aid of Ruth.

What I Liked:

This theme is still very palpable eighty years later.

What I Didn't Like:

Cary Grant wore too much make-up.

What I Learned:

The kids sure knew how to party back in the thirties. 

Parole Girl - 1933 (Day 30)

My Take:

Another pre-code gem… how can you resist a film called ‘Parole Girl,’ it sounds like the thirties version of ‘Caged Heat.’

Starring the effervescent Mae Clarke, who had a storied career in Hollywood, on and off screen. She plays a con artist accused of taking people for a ride and sentenced to a year in jail. Once out, she has nothing but revenge coursing through her veins, but the way she goes about it is truly unique.

What I Liked:

Seeing a very young Ralph Bellamy in the role opposite Clarke in only his third year in Hollywood. Most people will remember Bellamy as Randolph Duke from ‘Trading Places.’ “Where the hell is Beeks!”

What I Didn't Like:

It’s not the best pre-code film, in fact it plays more like a B+ film, but it’s absolutely worth a watch.

What I Learned:

Mae Clarke had a nervous breakdown both the year before and the year after starring in this film. And, she was in a serious car wreck the month this film was released, which limited her future in Hollywood.

Al Capone - 1959 (Day 29)

My Take:

It felt like I was watching a very good television production of the Al Capone story, not a feature film. Something about the way it was shot, just didn't jive with me. It was too clean; I need some grit in my gritty stories.

Rod Steiger however was great as Al Capone. He chews up the scenery so much so that I walked away not really remembering any of the other cast members. This was a fairly accurate account of what happened in Capone’s life, but there are much better films that capture the Don’s history.

What I Liked:

Steiger, although I kept seeing him as Bill Gillespie from “In The Heat of the Night.’

What I Didn't Like:

This was the Reader’s Digest of crime films.

What I Learned:

What the hell was prohibition all about anyway? Regardless, it provided us with the best crime stories from the twentieth century.

Young Man With a Horn - 1950 (Day 28)

My Take:

Kirk Douglas is a damn fine actor. I had the pleasure of meeting him on the red carpet last year as the past and present actors who played Spartacus met at the Television Arts and Sciences building in Los Angeles.

Douglas has such a range of emotion and seems unhinged most of the time. Here he has plenty of space to graze as he plays an up and coming jazz trumpeter who gets too heavy into the booze and drugs.

The music is great and the acting even better, with Lauren Bacall to boot.

What I Liked:

The music was a big part of the film. Also, I loved Hoagy Carmichael as Willie ‘Smoke’ Willoughby.

What I Didn't Like:

Not much

What I Learned:

The Hays censorship code was worried about Lauren Bacall’s character being a lesbian and wanted it toned down to the point no one knew.

The Finger Points - 1931 (Day 27)

My Take:

A guy who climbs his way up the ‘Press’ ladder and gets too big for his britches… pays the ultimate price.

Based off the real killing of press reporter Jack Lingle, the film depicts what happens when you get into business with the bad guys and think you're immune to death.

For the most part, this was a cool little film, but some actors didn’t translate from the silent era films to the talkies that well. Richard Barthelmess was one of those actors, his voice wasn't right and his posture was awful.

What I Liked:

Seeing Clark Gable play another slick talking baddie.

What I Didn't Like:

Barthelmess was distracting

What I Learned:

Lingle was tied up with Al Capone in Chicago, but he was never charged in the murder of Lingle.

Chasing Rainbows - 1930 (Day 26)

My Take:

Theater troupe nears the end of their first run on Broadway and drama ensues behind the curtain. 

This film is more for interesting for what’s not in it than what is. Parts of this black and white film were shot in two strip Technicolor and later lost rendering whole scenes unusable, including the finale “Happy Days Are Here Again,” the first time the song was used in a film. This was Jack Benny’s first film role and he was in it quite a bit. Both Bessie Love and Charles King starred in “The Broadway Melody,” and this film is compared to that one a lot.

What I Liked:

Marie Dressler, wonderful actress.

What I Didn't Like:

The awkward musical interludes where the old two strip Technicolor used to be.

What I Learned:

Bessie Love continued to act for another fifty plus years and her last role was Tony Scott’s The Hunger.

Belle de Jour - 1967 (Day 25)

My Take:

SEXY! A married woman gets bored and sneaks off to her day job as a prostitute. Catherine Deneuve is wonderfully understated in this film playing the titular Belle de Jour. She’s French and up for anything and anyone, naughty.

The film itself was great, I've been tempted to see this in the past, but it just got away from me. Released in 1967, Belle de Jour spoke to the sexual revolution going on all around the world.

What I Liked:

That she never apologizes for what she decides to do.

What I Didn't Like:

The lack of fantasy cutaways dreamed up by Belle.

What I Learned:

Belle de Jour means a lily that only blooms during the day, and Deneuve’s character is given the name because she has to be home by 5 every day.

Red Headed Woman - 1932 (Day 24)

My Take:

Adultery. Sex. Blackmail. Harlots. Fraud. Crimes that go unpunished. This film was great and what made it work so well was Jean Harlow. She plays a ruthless gal from the wrong side of the tracks, and knows exactly what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. This usually pertains to men, so she goes through quite a few in an hour and a half. Another pre-code gem, the code/rules were in place, but this film defied most of them.

If Jean Harlow hadn't died at such a young age (26), she could have been the biggest actress of any generation. She had moxie and it shows in this film… she was relentless.

What I Liked:

Jean Harlow was the original scorned woman. She just takes over once she’s in the shot.

What I Didn't Like:

Nothing.

What I Learned:

This was the film that led the Hays Office to forbid the depiction of unpunished adultery in any film moving forward. 

On The Loose - 1951 (Day 23)

My Take:

This played liked an after school special on teen horniness and why it’s better to wait. If you're still tempted to get your ya-yas out… you'll be plagued by extreme situations.

Joan Evans, the Goddaughter of Joan Crawford, plays the rebellious teen, and the year after “On The Loose” was released, she starred in a vehicle called “Skirts Ahoy,” which I hope I don't have to watch in the coming year.

What I Liked:

The Tagline: “School-Girl by day... Thrill-Seeker by night!“ It sounds like a noirish b-film, but it’s not that naughty, it’s a cautionary tale about neglectful parents and what their kids do in retaliation.

What I Didn't Like:

The movie was too slow; they could have found more trouble.

What I Learned:

Melvyn Douglas was a Grammy shy of an EGOT

Strange Alibi - 1941 (Day 22)

My Take:

Sgt. Joe Geary goes deep, too deep undercover to get in good with the Mob to bring them down. Once on the bad side… he goes to prison because his only alibi bit the dust.

Part noir, revenge, crime… I though Arthur Kennedy tore it up as good guy gone temporarily bad guy Geary. He had to go to prison for a while and spend some time in the box.

What I Liked:

The premise reminded me of the original Infernal Affairs, without the infiltration from the other side.

What I Didn't Like:

Poor Geary just gets in with the Mob and then… bam! he’s off to prison, if the movie were longer than 63 minutes, maybe they could have set that up a little more.

What I Learned:

How to make a chiv out of Jolly Ranchers.

Silver Dollar - 1932 (Day 21)

My Take:

The Bonanza King of Leadville. Edward G. Robinson plays Horace Tabor, the once prosperous silver miner, governor and postmaster of Colorado through his silver rise and golden fall.

Tabor accumulates his wealth throughout the film, but at his apex… and once he decides to leave his wife for a younger woman, all hell breaks loose.

Robinson’s the best aspect, relentless throughout. He turns out to be a pretty clueless guy when it comes to public perception, which is his ultimate downfall.

Tabor still has his name on a lot around Colorado, I remember going to the Tabor Center to look at posters when it was state of the art… a long time ago. It’s still there along 16th St Mall, but it’s filled with chain restaurants now.

What I Liked:

I really began to notice the inherent beauty in the film grain and pop in this film.

What I Didn’t Like:

A little more history would have been nice, but I'm not complaining.

What I Learned:

Costar Bebe Daniels made over 230 films over her career, most of them in the silent era.

Racing Lady - 1937 (Day 20)

My Take:

Horse racing in America used to be a lot bigger than it is now, but the sport also had its share of scandals. At the turn of the twentieth century, there were over 300 horse tracks, but after numerous race fixing scandals, that number dwindled to 25 in 1908. It wasn't until the combination of the Great Depression and a bill allowing states to gamble on the sport, that it started to flourish again.

The thirties were a huge decade for horseracing, lead by Seabiscuit and the Santa Anita racetrack in California. This film opts to jump on that bandwagon with a story about an up and coming Philly. The horse and the trainer, played by Ann Dvorak, become instant celebrities.

What I Liked:

Seeing the then state of the art Santa Anita track the year it was first built.

What I Didn't Like:

Hattie McDaniel was underused.

What I Learned:

Never trust a guy who gives you a tip at the track. 

The Thrill of it All - 1963 (Day 19)

My Take:

A very lighthearted adult romance centering on the sudden fame of housewife (Day) as a spokesperson for Happy brand Soap. Written by the great Carl Reiner, the film is a fun little romp.

Doris Day was a huge star back in the 50’s – 60’s, appearing in 36 films during that span. I thought she did a kick ass job, I’d only seen her in Pillow Talk, years ago, but she does have a Je ne sais quoi about her.

This was Norman Jewison’s second feature length film after cutting his teeth in television. Two years after this film hit theaters, Jewison would release four defining films (In the Heat of the Night, The Cincinnati Kid, The Thomas Crown Affair and The Russians Are Coming.

What I Liked:

I thought the Ad agency aspect was timely and was interesting to watch unfold.

What I Didn’t Like:

The grandpa from “Sixteen Candles” should have had a larger role.

What I Learned:

Carl Reiner has a few cameos as the man who keeps getting a drink thrown in his face.

How to Murder Your Wife - 1965 (Day 18)

My Take:

Lemmon’s character is the idyllic bachelor, living life the way he wants, until one drunken night he feels compelled to marry a woman he just met. It’s not that he doesn't like her, how could you not like Virna; he just doesn't like the idea of being married. One thing leads to another and he has a thought on how to murder his wife… through his comic book strip. Misunderstandings ensue and the rest is a pretty good watch.

I thought this film would be more screw-bally in nature, but it had just the right amount.

What I Liked:

The open with the butler breaking the fourth wall and setting everything up, the film had a sly ‘wink, wink, nudge, nudge’ aspect to it.

The lawyer played by Eddie Mayehoff was brilliant.

What I Didn't Like:

Lemmon didn't look like he was having much fun in this film, he looked bored.

What I Learned:

Virna Lisi’s husband chased Jack Lemmon around the set after he walked in on Lisi’s nude scene in the film… she had originally assured her husband that she wasn't going to do one.