Category Archives: Movie Reviews

Movies reviewed by John Grant.

The Old Maid

Posted on April 4, 2013 by John Grant

The 1939 movie, “The Old Maid,” from Warner Brothers, stars Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins as two cousins in love with the same man.  As the film begins, everyone in the Lovell household make preparations for Delia Lovell’s wedding to … Continue reading →

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Rossellini’s India

Posted on April 1, 2013 by John Grant

Roberto Rossellini travelled to India to film the 1959 documentary “India:  Matri Bhumi.”  The film features visually stunning scenes of various places in India with a poetic Italian voiceover.  Matri Bhumi means “motherland” or “mother earth” in Hindi. In addition … Continue reading →

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The Happy Thieves

Posted on March 29, 2013 by John Grant

There seems to be two kinds of caper movies, ones with several characters working together such as “Big Deal on Madonna Street” from 1958, or the romantic comedy type such as “How to Steal a Million,” the 1966 film starring … Continue reading →

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Oz the Great and Powerful

Posted on March 26, 2013 by John Grant

I’ll start this review by mentioning that the “Wizard of Oz” is my favorite movie of all time.  I first watched it as a child on an old black and white TV set, so I didn’t even know it contained … Continue reading →

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The Farmer’s Daughter

Posted on March 23, 2013 by John Grant

It may not seem plausible that a Swedish maid (and farm girl) in the 1940s could run for Congress and do well for herself, but that’s exactly what happens in “The Farmer’s Daughter.”  The 1947 film stars Loretta Young as … Continue reading →

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The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

Posted on March 20, 2013 by John Grant

Taking the story from a popular book by Anthony Hope, published in 1894, Selznick International Pictures made a fine film version of “The Prisoner of Zenda” in 1937.  The film stars Ronald Colman as Major Rudolf Rassendyll, an Englishman who … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a Murder

Posted on March 17, 2013 by John Grant

The stylish 1959 film “Anatomy of a Murder” ambles along for 2 hours and 40 minutes, with most of its content taken up with interviews of witnesses and long courtroom scenes.  Considered a classic among courtroom dramas, the film stars … Continue reading →

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Spies

Posted on March 14, 2013 by John Grant

Espionage films in general, including the ones featuring James Bond, owe their inspiration to Fritz Lang’s “Spies,” released in 1928.  The German film stars Willy Fritsch as Agent 326, who springs into action when a diabolical bank manager named Haghi … Continue reading →

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Baby Face

Posted on March 11, 2013 by John Grant

The quintessential Hollywood pre-code film, “Baby Face,” released in 1933, features Barbara Stanwyck as a harried waitress named Lily Powers in a speakeasy in Erie, Pennsylvania.  She caters to the the loud, boorish and dirty steelworkers who frequent the joint, and often … Continue reading →

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Limelight

Posted on March 8, 2013 by John Grant

Sometimes a serious comedy comes along written and directed by a serious director, in this case, Charlie Chaplin.  The movie, “Limelight,” came out 1952.  Limelight is not really a comedy but a movie about comedy.  It’s a sound picture that … Continue reading →

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