Category Archives: Movie Reviews

Movies reviewed by John Grant.

The Clinging Vine

Posted on April 1, 2014 by John Grant

With the comic premise of a mannish and successful woman who transforms into a feminine ideal, “The Clinging Vine,” a silent film released in 1926, becomes an excellent vehicle for the dynamic Leatrice Joy. Joy, a popular actress of the … Continue reading →

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Against All Flags

Posted on March 28, 2014 by John Grant

Maureen O’Hara and Errol Flynn perform some wonderful swashbuckling action in “Against All Flags,” a glorious 1952 pirate movie that also stars Anthony Quinn. Flynn plays Brian Hawke, a Royal Navy officer working undercover to defeat a rowdy bunch of … Continue reading →

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You Only Live Once

Posted on March 25, 2014 by John Grant

I expect Fritz Lang to deliver a well-crafted and interesting drama no matter what the subject, but 1937’s “You Only Live Once,” starring Henry Fonda and Sylvia Sidney holds together beautifully on Fonda’s impressive performance. Fonda plays Eddie Taylor, an … Continue reading →

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Buccaneer’s Girl

Posted on March 19, 2014 by John Grant

Universal International Pictures must have thought it couldn’t miss with “Buccaneer’s Girl,” which came out in 1950 and stars Yvonne De Carlo and Philip Friend in a pirate adventure in New Orleans and the high seas. Friend possessed the talent … Continue reading →

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We’re Not Married!

Posted on March 16, 2014 by John Grant

The delightful “We’re Not Married!” — released in 1952 — follows the consequences involving 5 long-time married couples who suddenly learn their marriages are not legal. This complication occurs because the Justice of the Peace (Victor Moore) started performing wedding … Continue reading →

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Sissi

Posted on March 13, 2014 by John Grant

An Austrian film, “Sissi,” from 1955, tells the adventure of a Bavarian duchess (Elizabeth) who becomes the Empress of Austria when she marries Franz Josef 1. The film starts with the teenage Elizabeth enjoying life with her large family in … Continue reading →

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Reap the Wild Wind

Posted on March 10, 2014 by John Grant

The spectacular Technicolor epic “Reap the Wild Wind,” released by Paramount Pictures in 1942, seems like a cross between a pirate movie and “Gone With the Wind.” It also adds an extended courtroom scene and an underwater special effects battle … Continue reading →

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The Black Swan

Posted on March 7, 2014 by John Grant

Maureen O’Hara plays the feisty heroine in Twentieth Century Fox’s 1942 Technicolor epic “The Black Swan,” which also stars Tyrone Power, George Sanders, Anthony Quinn and Laird Cregar. It’s a color saturated blend of pirate ships, treachery on the Spanish … Continue reading →

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Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

Posted on March 4, 2014 by John Grant

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

Posted on March 1, 2014 by John Grant

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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