Author Archives: John Grant

Ride the High Country

Posted on August 7, 2014 by John Grant

Even though many people know Joel McCrea from all the westerns he appears in, I remember him mostly from “Sullivan’s Travels (1941)” and “The Palm Beach Story (1942),” films in which he’s most definitely a city guy. However, he makes … Continue reading →

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The Scarlet Empress

Posted on August 4, 2014 by John Grant

I found “The Scarlet Empress,” the lavish 1934 Paramount Pictures production directed by Josef Von Sternberg, to be thoroughly satisfying and intriguing as a historical portrait of the enigmatic Catherine the Great of Russia. After visiting Catherine’s palace outside of … Continue reading →

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Silent Autumn Schedule

Posted on July 28, 2014 by John Grant

The 2014 Silent Autumn Festival, presented by the San Francisco Silent Film Festival (SFSFF), takes place at the Castro Theater in San Francisco on Saturday, September 20, 2014. The schedule includes the following features: “Another Fine Mess: Silent Laurel and … Continue reading →

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Easy Living

Posted on July 22, 2014 by John Grant

Before Preston Sturges started directing films, he established himself as an excellent screenwriter who penned, contributed or added dialogue to over 20 films including “The Invisible Man (1933), “Twentieth Century (1934),” “Imitation of Life (1934),” and “Diamond Jim (1935).” One … Continue reading →

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Devdas

Posted on July 19, 2014 by John Grant

“Devdas,” a 2002 Bollywood film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, tells the story of the title character (Shah Rukh Khan), a man so desperately in love with the girl next door that he becomes an alcoholic wretch when things don’t … Continue reading →

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Those Callaways

Posted on July 16, 2014 by John Grant

If Wes Anderson made “Those Callaways,” a 1965 Walt Disney film starring Brian Keith (as Cam Callaway) and Vera Miles, he’d probably make the Callaways far more eccentric than they’re portrayed by director Norman Tokar. The Calloway son (Brandon de … Continue reading →

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Silent Autumn

Posted on July 13, 2014 by John Grant

I’m looking forward to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival’s (SFSFF) “Silent Autumn” event, which features 5 silent films at the Castro Theater in San Francisco with live music. The event takes place September 2014. The SFSFF plans to announce … Continue reading →

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MIdnight

Posted on July 10, 2014 by John Grant

As romantic comedies go, they don’t get much classier or funnier that “Midnight,” a 1939 film written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett, and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The movie stars Claudette Colbert, John Barrymore, Don Ameche and Mary Astor, … Continue reading →

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Harbor Drift

Posted on July 7, 2014 by John Grant

After watching Lissy Arna in Gerhard Lamprecht’s 1928 film “Under the Lantern,” I looked forward to seeing her in a similar role in “Harbor Drift,” a 1929 film directed by Leo Mittler. Arna again plays a prostitute who sees an … Continue reading →

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The Girl in Tails

Posted on July 4, 2014 by John Grant

“The Girl in Tails (Flickan i frack),” a 1927 silent film from Sweden directed by Karin Swanström, deftly separates general society and its strict boundaries from the dreams of a girl, Katja (Magda Holm), who just wants an evening gown … Continue reading →

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