Yearly Archives: 2014

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

The exquisitely made “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans,” the 1927 silent movie masterpiece, not only hits every visual superlative, but also provides a resounding emotional impact that stays with the viewer forever. It’s a dark and richly conceived melodrama … Continue reading

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Love Affair

The 1939 movie, “Love Affair,” starring Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne can be called a classic because of the supposed chemistry between Boyer and Dunne, but I think it’s remembered mostly because of a gimmicky plot. Boyer plays a French … Continue reading

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The Monuments Men

A more-or-less, based-on-a-true-story war film called “The Monuments Men,” released in 2014 (and playing in theaters now) tells the story of a group of art curators, architects, old book dealers and other art experts and their efforts to recover art … Continue reading

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It

Paramount Pictures and the other movie studios knew that millions of shopgirls went to the movies every week, so it isn’t surprising that many romantic plots revolve around the dreams of shopgirls. In the movie version of Elinor Glyn’s novel, … Continue reading

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The Uninvited

“The Uninvited,” a 1944 Paramount film starring Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey, takes a keen interest in the paranormal. Unlike previous films featuring ghosts haunting gothic mansions, this film stays away from comedy and remains serious throughout. Milland plays Roderick … Continue reading

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Hunger

The audience might not know what to make of the central character, Pontus, in the 1966 film “Sult” (or “Hunger” in English). The film, a co-production of artists in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, tells the story of Pontus’ efforts to … Continue reading

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The Crystal Ball

The pairing of Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland worked well for Paramount Pictures in the 1940s. They did 4 films together, including “The Crystal Ball,” a 1943 film directed by Elliot Nugent. Goddard plays a down and out but still … Continue reading

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A Woman of Paris

Just by its category of being a romantic drama, “A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate” stands out as being one of Charles Chaplin’s most interesting films. Chaplin took a bold step forward by producing this realistically acted and … Continue reading

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Safety Not Guaranteed

I’m wary of the cheap look of some independent films that seem like a couple of episodes of a cable TV show, with dialogue that seems improvised, way too many characters and shaky camerawork and production values. Thankfully, “Safety Not … Continue reading

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Female

The title of the 1932 movie “Female” sounds provocative and melodramatic, as though the viewer can expect to learn something about the fairer sex. The plot concerns a very capable female auto executive named Alison Drake (Ruth Chatterton), who runs … Continue reading

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