Yearly Archives: 2013

Rose of Washington Square

Posted on May 22, 2013 by John Grant

With a cast of Alice Faye, Tyrone Power and Al Jolson, I expected “Rose of Washington Square,” released in 1939, to offer superior entertainment.  Although it succeeds on various levels, including its numerous musical numbers, it fails to elevate itself … Continue reading →

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Spellbound

Posted on May 19, 2013 by John Grant

Alfred Hitchcock’s “Spellbound,” which came out in 1945, explores the psychological effects of guilt amidst a murder mystery.  Dr. Constance Peterson (Ingrid Bergman), an up and coming psychologist, wants to make a name for herself by curing patients at a rural mental … Continue reading →

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The Prisoner of Zenda (1922)

Posted on May 16, 2013 by John Grant

The 1922 silent version of “The Prisoner of Zenda,” made by Metro Pictures Corporation, stars Lewis Stone in a dual role as Rudolf Rassendyll and King Rudolf.  Evil plans in the kingdom of Ruritania by Black Michael (Ramon Navarro) results … Continue reading →

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Jack Reacher

Posted on May 13, 2013 by John Grant

I looked forward to seeing “Jack Reacher, a film released in 2012, because the producers filmed it in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Since Pittsburgh is my home town, I hoped to see a good combination of exterior shots that utilizes the topography … Continue reading →

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The Letter

Posted on May 10, 2013 by John Grant

“The Letter,” a 1940 Warner Brothers film, stars Bette Davis as a woman (Leslie Crosbie) who shoots a man several times in the opening nighttime scene.  Leslie takes aim as the man stumbles down the porch steps of a bungalow, … Continue reading →

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Roberta

Posted on May 7, 2013 by John Grant

The 1935 film “Robert” stars Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott and takes place in a fashion house and a nightclub in Paris.  Astaire, as Huck Haines, arrives in Paris with his band, Huck Haines and the … Continue reading →

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The Loves of Carmen

Posted on May 4, 2013 by John Grant

Glenn Ford becomes seriously unhinged over Rita Hayworth in “The Loves of Carmen,” a 1948 retelling of the Georges Bizet opera without the music.  Ford plays Don José, a nobleman, and a corporal in the army.  His assignment in Seville … Continue reading →

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The Quiet Man

Posted on May 1, 2013 by John Grant

When I heard John Ford wanted to direct “The Quiet Man” sixteen years earlier than 1952, I assumed the delay would make a huge difference in how the film turned out.  This doesn’t seem to be the case with Ford’s … Continue reading →

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Wait Until Dark

Posted on April 28, 2013 by John Grant

In 1967, Audrey Hepburn made “Wait Until Dark” with the interesting supporting cast of Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Jack Weston and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.  She plays a blind woman named Suzy Hendrix who comes into possession of a doll filled … Continue reading →

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The Mysterious Lady

Posted on April 25, 2013 by John Grant

Two years before her first sound film, “Anna Christie,” Greta Garbo made 1928’s silent “The Mysterious Lady,” wherein she plays a Russian spy named Tania who falls in love with Karl, an Austrian officer played by Conrad Nagel.  Garbo’s Tania … Continue reading →

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