Category Archives: Movie Reviews

Movies reviewed by John Grant.

A Girl in Every Port

Posted on January 27, 2012 by John Grant

“A Girl in Every Port,” a good silent comedy film from 1928, features Louise Brooks as a French circus performer (Marie) who comes between two extremely close male friends.  The film begins as Spike (Victor McLaglen), a sailor, hits town, … Continue reading →

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Fazil

Posted on January 21, 2012 by John Grant

A Howard Hawks’ silent film, “Fazil,” from 1928, concerns a relationship between an Arab sheik (Fazil) and a free-spirited Parisienne woman named Fabienne (Greta Nissen).  Business pursuits bring Fazil to Venice, where he falls in love with Fabienne at first sight.  But … Continue reading →

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Fig Leaves

Posted on January 15, 2012 by John Grant

Howard Hawks made his first big splash in 1926 with “Fig Leaves,” a silent film starring George O’Brien, Olive Borden and Phyllis Haver.  The film starts out in the Garden of Eden, where Eve (Borden) declares, “I have nothing to … Continue reading →

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The Love of Jeanne Ney

Posted on January 10, 2012 by John Grant

In “The Love of Jeanne Ney,” made in 1927, director Georg Wilhelm Pabst presents a combination spy thriller and romantic drama that involves the Russian civil war and the theft of a $500,000 diamond.  The film stars Édith Jéhanne as Jeanne Ney … Continue reading →

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War Horse

Posted on January 1, 2012 by John Grant

I found “War Horse,” the new Steven Spielberg movie, well worth seeing.  It successfully puts all of Spielberg’s impressive skills together in one movie, including the family drama, war epic and pet story.  War Horse doesn’t really compare with the … Continue reading →

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Buster Keaton

Posted on December 29, 2011 by John Grant

A few years ago, I met Buster Keaton’s granddaughter at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.  During a catered get-together for festival patrons, she approached me and asked me how I got to love silent film.  I told her about … Continue reading →

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Miracle on 34th Street

Posted on December 25, 2011 by John Grant

Even though the fans love it and reviewers call it a Christmas classic, I haven’t seen “Miracle on 34th Street” that many times.  But each time I’ve watched the 1947 movie directed by George Seaton, I feel better about the … Continue reading →

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Pandora’s Box

Posted on December 22, 2011 by John Grant

Ava Gardner made a film in 1951 called “Pandora and the Flying Dutchman,” a color extravaganza that also starred James Mason and Nigel Patrick.  The story concerns a 500 year-old seaman floating alone on a ghost ship who meets his … Continue reading →

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Good Christmas Film

Posted on December 18, 2011 by John Grant

A very charming Christmas film from 1947 called “It Happened on Fifth Avenue” stars Victor Moore as a homeless man (Aloysius T. McKeever) with a brilliant idea.  When millionaires board up their summer mansions in New York City for the … Continue reading →

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Things to Come

Posted on December 13, 2011 by John Grant

I watched an enjoyable science fiction film from 1936 called “Things to Come.”  William Cameron Menzies directed the film, which stars Raymond Massey, Ralph Richardson and Margaretta Scott.  Since H. G. Wells wrote the screenplay from his own story, the … Continue reading →

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