Watchingwell 

                                 Curated classic films

I’ve Been Watching…

      I don’t know if you’re like me but my movie tastes are pretty eclectic.  Sure, I have my ‘go to’ comfort genres, and films that I am somehow compelled to watch every time they appear on a screen, but I can be engrossed or entertained by all categories of film. Although, I think I have mentioned previously that I don’t watch your run-of-the-mill western, whereas I would watch run-of-the-mill everything else. So, let’s see what I’ve been watching lately.

     Speaking of run-of-the-mill, I saw two of the mutated-insect-monster films of the 1950s. Generally cheesy, laughably illogical, why are they so entertaining? I always watch Them! (1954),  directed by Gordon Douglas, whenever it comes on. The “them” of the title are giant ants and we know they are horrible by the poor little girl that James Whitmore finds in the desert, who is mute from shock and fear. I really enjoy watching the special effects of the fifties, before the slick CGI of current films. They seem so human when the audience can see how they did it with toy buildings and the scaled-up insects. 


    I also got to see  The Black Scorpion (1957). These were really disgusting monster scorpions terrorizing Mexico.  Directed by Edward Ludwig, and starring reliable genre actors, Richard Denning (The Creature from the Black Lagoon in 1954) and Mara Corday (Tarantula in 1955), my truly favorite part was when the scorpions picked up the train and tossed the cars around – and then the passengers all ran screaming!  I would have thought they would have been somewhat injured, but, hey, that’s part of the fun.

   
     More fun last month was the Turner Classic Movie channel’s retrospective of the James Bond 007 films. It was interesting to look at these big hits of the 60s,
and reflect on the elements of their success. First, clearly, Sean Connery was an inspired choice –although challenged at the time by author, Ian Fleming, creating a modern, often imitated, hero who is suave, cynical, definitely up to the physical demands of the job, and who is so cool that he can joke when he is about to be dissected. This comes to define the action hero for decades. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis owe something to Bond, James Bond.


Dr. No (1962), directed by Terence Young,

From Russia With Love (1963), directed by  Terence Young,

Goldfinger (1964), directed by Guy Hamilton, 

                       and Thunderball (1965), directed                            by Terence Young.      

     The second thing that struck me was how much the 007 image depended on John Barry’s iconic themes. I am reminded of an episode of the TV sitcom, Frasier, when Frasier, brother, Niles, and dad, Martin, try to bond with a song in the local bar, and realize that the only song they know in common is the theme from Goldfinger.  You’re singing it to yourself now, aren’t you?

     I watched most of the 007s, including ones I had never seen, and I have to admit that my attention may have drifted once in a while so that I can’t necessarily remember who was in which.  Although I think I fell asleep before the very end, I nevertheless would recommend Moonraker (1979), directed by Lewis Gilbert, with Roger Moore as a competent Bond, with Lois Chiles looking lovely and competent. After watching several films

where the plots and the evil geniuses and beautiful women, good and evil, all seemed to blur together, Moonraker kept me up with its stunning visuals. Sets, scenery, special effects are all outstanding, starting with the pre-titles sequence in the air. For the score, the producers turned again to John Barry, and Shirley Bassie for the title song.

     On the subject of films that I get drawn into every time I happen upon them, two of the three mysteries I saw are in that category, and the third is one I have not seen often enough, because it is pretty exciting.

 

The first is Lady in the Lake (1946) which was adapted from one of my favorite Raymond Chandler novels, and has Robert Montgomery directing himself in the Phillip Marlowe role, although the audience doesn’t see him, except in the mirror, and in an unfortunate added-on scene at the end to please the studio. It has a nice, black and white grittiness to it and Montgomery’s voice is appropriately cynical. 

The other film is also an adaptation from Raymond Chandler, one in which reading the book is the only way to make sense of the movie plot.  The Big Sleep (1946)starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, is strangely involving, even if you can’t figure out what’s going on, thanks to the moody direction

by Howard Hawks. There are many characters who lead Bogart’s Marlowe around a plot which begins with a blackmail attempt on Bacall’s nutty sister.

The third mystery drama was The Big Clock (1948) starring Ray Milland, with Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Sullivan.  Directed by John Farrow, the film keeps up a  good pace from the beginning when a murder is committed, as Ray Milland tries to find the truth when he realizes he is being framed.  Good mystery.

     Other films that I always watch:  anything with the Marx Bros.  So last week I saw the very ancient

Cocoanuts (1929) about the real estate boom in Florida, sort of. Plot was never a strong moving force in Marx Bros. films. The brothers had performed this George S. Kaufman play on Broadway before making the film, so there are some hilarious bits of dialogue in this early talkie. Directed by Robert Florey and Joseph Santley.

     Then I watched Duck Soup (1933) as I tried to do other things, but kept wandering back to see

particularly favorite scenes. There are so many classic lines in this that never fail to make me laugh even though I know them so well. Directed by Leo McCarey, with Margaret Dumont in her victim-of-Groucho role, trying to keep Freedonia out of war after Groucho’s character, Prime Minister, Rufus T. Firefly, takes over. Hail, hail, Freedonia!

     And anytime there is an Astaire/Rogers musical, I must watch. Last week, I happened upon Top Hat

(1935) unexpectedly. Can’t find much of a plot there , but the music by Irving Berlin and Fred and Ginger dancing “Cheek to Cheek” is dreamy. Directed by Mark Sandrich.

      Dodsworth (1936) has lately become that kind of film.  I enjoy so much the real pathos in the

performances of Walter Huston and Ruth Chatterton that I feel compelled to watch it through to the satisfying end.  Directed by William Wyler, with Mary Astor.

     There’s a film that I don’t particularly love as a whole, but enjoy very much the individual parts, so I still watch every time.  With a rather painfully-dated script, The Philadelphia Story (1940) is still enjoyable for the humor and the performances of Cary Grant, Ruth Hussey, James Stewart, Katherine Hepburn, and Virginia Weidler. Directed expertly by George Cukor, it's such a pleasure to watch this bevy of big stars doing what they did so well.

  

      This represents a fraction of the classic and not-so-classic films that are now available on television.  There are channels with movies all over the place. Probably, geared to the aging-boomer market, (you know who you are.) There are also a lot of classics available on streaming services, for minimal charges. So much to watch, so little time.