Author Archives: John Grant

“On Our Merry Way,” a 1948 film directed mostly by King Vidor, could have been called “Making a Movie With Friends.” Producer Burgess Meredith and his wife, Paulette Goddard, star in this vignette movie that also features their friends Henry Fonda, … Continue reading →

Anybody wanting to see the strength and power of Bette Davis as an actress should see “Now Voyager,” a 1942 soap opera about an inhibited and neurotic Boston woman, Charlotte Vail, who overcomes her problems. The movie also stars Claude … Continue reading →

“Le Cercle Rouge,” a 1970 French film directed by Jean Pierre Melville, makes a compelling argument for the theme that crime forges its own alliances. The film fits into the genre of a heist film with a good dose of … Continue reading →

“The Pajama Game,” the 1957 musical directed by George Abbott and Stanley Donen, provides good entertainment throughout with sparkling dance numbers choreographed by Bob Fosse and wonderful performances by Doris Day, John Raitt and Carol Haney. The interesting score includes … Continue reading →

“The Mirror (Zerkalo),” a 1975 Russian film from Andrei Tarkovsky, uses music, poetry and images to create something more like a feeling than a narrative adventure, but its big themes and relentless time shifting carry an aftereffect that lingers on. … Continue reading →

The Walt Disney Animation Studios came out with winner in 2013’s “Frozen,” which features an unhappy princess named Elso with special powers. She lives in a world of self-imposed isolation because she possesses the power to freeze everything instantly. Her … Continue reading →

Ronald Colman, Celeste Holm and Vincent Price star in a thoroughly delightful comedy from 1950 called “Champagne for Caesar.” Colman plays Beauregard Bottomley, a voracious reader who cannot find a job. He rails against the threats to the country’s intellectual … Continue reading →

As one of the most talented Hollywood refugee’s of the blacklist era, Jules Dassin went to Europe and never looked back. He’s responsible for some remarkable films, including “The Naked City (1948)” and “Thieves Highway (1949)” during his Hollywood years, … Continue reading →

It’s hard to imagine a more moving cinematic experience than the three films Satyajit Ray made in the 1950’s about the youth and young adulthood of Apu. The “Apu Trilogy,” which starts out with 1955’s “Pather Panchali,” also includes “Aparajito … Continue reading →